


Next of Kin

by Zuperbuu



Series: The Renegade Decepticon [4]
Category: Transformers AU - Fandom
Genre: Abduction, Abuse, Abuse of Authority, Attempted Rape, Cannibalism, Domestic Violence, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Explicit Language, Father-Son Relationship, Feral Behavior, Genital Torture, Infanticide, M/M, Mpreg, Other, Parents & Children, Rape, Sexual Content, Sexual Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-27
Updated: 2013-01-27
Packaged: 2017-11-27 04:59:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 21
Words: 134,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/658260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zuperbuu/pseuds/Zuperbuu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gama, son of Megatron, was once the heir to the Decepticon Empire. A powerful being to behold and fear...brought down to his knees by becoming a mother, and left to survive in a Decepticon-less universe on his own.<br/>But rumors are spreading of a Decepticon sighting on Cybertron, ex-Decepticons are questioning the current 'peace' between all Cybertronians, and Gama feels a thirst for power slowly building within him...or could it be something else?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> This is my #1 favourite section of the Renegade Decepticon series...and if you haven't noticed by now, I shall say it!  
> Gama is the Renegade, not Crasher, not Solarflare...it has always been him; fighting against everyone he could to prove himself, rebelling against all other authority figures to show his might.  
> He may seem brutal, whiney, cold and calculating...but in all truth, he only wishes to prove his worth and skills to one person; himself.

_Opening scene is dark, there are no visuals._  
  
Gama: (VO) “I’m a Decepticon…the last one.” _  
  
A montage plays from the previous story; showing the scenarios that bring the audience up to the current time, as Gama speaks.  
  
_ Gama: (VO) “Thundercracker wishes for me to ‘graduate’ from a simple Cybertronian school to earn my freedom…after all I had done to both Autobot and Titron alike, he’s letting me go free without penalty or even a tracking device to watch where I go. It is very curious, and I will always suspect his reason over it for the simple fact he is keeping it silent; the looks he gave Acidstorm, the silent nods shared between them…it’s making me feel nervous…so nervous that I’ve an uneasy pain in my processors…it reminds me of the lecture my father gave me about when I’d ascend to the throne.” _  
  
The scene suddenly turns dark, nothing is visible.  
  
_ Gama: (VO) “The role as a Leader, and what it truly means to be one, has always eluded me. The moment I earned my right to be the Leader of the Decepticons, those words he told me, it all was for nothing. The end of the Decepticons hit the very moment he’d passed his Leadership down to me; I was denied my birthright for the second time…”  
  
 _Fade in on montages of Gama as a Sparkling, and how he grew up.  
  
_ Gama: (VO) “Those final moments on that ship, where I was about to die, it all came back to me. My life…it was all planned from the moment I was conceived. I would fight for survival within my mother, to prove to my father I was the chosen one to rule after him; but I had earned the will to live as his heir simply by being the only survivor of his efforts, I didn’t have siblings to compete against…not of his blood, at least. My fight to survive would drag on under my own fathers wing; his vigorous tests of my personality and drive to lead, the beatings I received for signs of weakness, the near-death situations…the threat of me being replaced.”  
  
 _Fade out to darkness again._  
  
Gama: (VO) “I’ve lived this long, I’ve carried life and destroyed it, so I’m not about to let my birthright slip away from me for good. As soon as I get out of here, I’m going to find any remnants of the Decepticon cause and rebuild what my family destroyed.”  
  
 _Scene fades in on the title screen._  
  
Acidstorm: (VO) “Okay Gama, we’re here; just keep your head high and don’t make eye contact with anyone until we’re all the way inside.” _  
  
Scene fades in from title screen to show Gama and Acidstorm stood in front of a closed gate.  
  
_ Gama: (Bitter) “That is a small door for a Cybertronian Academy; I think the dumb Dinobots would just barely fit through it.”  
Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “Well this academy also belongs to the EDC, and humans come here to train in cooperative skills with Autobots.”  
Gama: (Snorting) “Working alongside humans? I feel sick.”  
Acidstorm: “That could actually be the hatchlings asking you to feed them.”  
  
 _Gama shoots a sharp glare at Acidstorm, who raises his hands in defence until the gate finally opens to reveal the large walled campus.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “Why build a wall around it if there’s no Decepticons to smash it down?”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “Some humans act an awful lot like Decepticons, Gama…it’s to keep THEM out; now let’s get going.”  
  
 _Acidstorm leads Gama through the gate and into the campus grounds; it is all very green inside the walled area compared to the barren desert on the outside of the walls. Statues of fallen warriors in the war are erected down the pathway, with one very large statue of Optimus Prime being in the middle of the parkland. They stop in front of the statue and Acidstorm folds his arms, before looking down the three paths of the crossroad._  
  
Acidstorm: (Confused) “Um…let’s see…was it right to the dorms or left?”  
  
 _Gama ‘tsks’ at Acidstorms incompetence whilst glaring at the statue of Optimus Prime.  
_  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “Ugh…this one is laid out totally different to the one on Cybertron.” _  
  
Gama ‘tsks’ yet again, pushes past him and approaches a Cybertronian who was raiding a nearby trashcan, before forcefully poking them in the back to get their attention.  
  
_ Gama: (Coldly) “Which way to the dormitories, peasant?”  
Cybertronian: “Service provider is currently busy, please stand by; we shall deal with your request momentarily.”  
  
 _Acidstorm rushes to Gama and pulls him back, as he was showing signs of wanting to attack.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Stern) “Gama, control your temper.”  
Gama: (Angry) “He dares MOCK ME?! ME!”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “He’s a Junkion, he doesn’t know any other way of communication other than ‘tv talk’.”  
  
 _Gama sniffs at the ‘Junkion’ before covering his nose.  
  
_ Gama: (Disgusted) “…let’s ask someone else for directions.”  
Acidstorm: “It’s fine now; I know where they are.”  
  
 _Gama snarls and growls at Acidstorm, who cowers.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “J-Junkions never stay anywhere near the Dorms; they don’t like the ‘tidiness’ we have to keep them in…so it’s the opposite direction this guy is in.”  
  
 _Gama eases his threatening displays, before walking in the opposite direction the Junkion was in with Acidstorm close behind him. When they reach the dorms, they find Grimlock outside fighting with another Junkion and Blurr.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Shouting) “Alright you three; stop that!”  
Grimlock: “Me Grimlock no like stinky Junkion!! Him smell worse than Decepticon!”  
Blurr: (Rapidly) “NotasbadasCrasher!NobodysmellsworsethanhedoessoyourarguementistotallyinvalidbecausetheJunkionlikestoliveindirtwhilstCrasherjustsmellsbadanywaysoyouneedtocalmdownGrimlock!!”  
  
 _Grimlock tries to smash at Blurr with his sword, when Acidstorm rushes to him and confiscates it.  
  
_ Grimlock: (Pouty) “Grr…me Grimlock no like smelly Junkion or noisy Autobot Blurr!! Me want to be someplace else!!”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “Grimlock, remember why Rodimus sent you here?”  
Grimlock: “Ugh…me not know…or not remember…”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “It was to learn how to control your temper! Now Blurr; slow down as you have been ordered to do and return to your dorm with Grimlock.”  
Blurr: (Rapidly) “Yessir! RightawaymoncapitainIwilldoascommandedforyouwithyour—”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “Blurr…shut up and go.”  
  
 _Blurr lowers his head before yanking Grimlocks arm into following him, leaving Acidstorm to deal with the Junkion.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “Wreck-Gar, you need to stop…doing whatever it is you keep doing…to get Grimlock angry.”  
Wreck-Gar: “Excellent service; guaranteed, or your money back.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “…Junkions…are a pain in the gear shaft…”  
Acidstorm: “Good, Wreck-Gar, now return to err…the Junkion place…wherever that is.”  
  
 _Wreck-Gar salutes before transforming and speeding off, allowing Gama and Acidstorm to enter the dorms. Gama sees many young adults in their rooms goofing off, noticing each room had at least three Cybertronians in it at a time.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Ah here we are! This is your room, Gama.”  
  
 _Gama squints as he turns to look inside, afraid of seeing who he’d be sharing with, when to some kind of relief he sees Eclipse inside reading several projections and nobody else.  
  
_ Eclipse: (Distracted) “I’m indulged in my studies, so I’ll make it quick; hello roommate, keep to your side of the room and everything will be fine.”  
Acidstorm: “Eclipse, its Gama your…err…grandson?”  
  
 _Eclipse closes his projections and turns around to stare at Acidstorm.  
  
_ Eclipse: “He is not related to me; he just happens to be the produce of my creation and Megatron which, to my knowledge, should not be here right now. I thought Thundercracker had issued him to--”  
Acidstorm: (Coughing) “Yes, well…there was a change of plans. He’s staying with you, since you’re the number one student here maybe he could learn a thing or two from you.”  
Eclipse: (Annoyed) “…very well…Gama, welcome to Cybertronian Academic Study on Earth; don’t touch my stuff, don’t come to my side of the room.”  
  
 _Eclipse returns to working, as Gama snarls at him as his back was turned again.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “Have fun Gama, and if you erm…(Whispering) if you feel any cramps or pregnancy related problems, come by anytime alright?”  
  
 _Gama blushes but turns his snarl to Acidstorm instead, who slowly backs away. Acidstorm waves nervously before leaving the area, leaving Gama to focus his anger on Eclipse.  
  
_ Eclipse: (Distracted) “Gama, whatever that smell is I kindly ask you to shower or at least attempt masking it. It is proving a distraction to my studies.”  
  
 _Gama flinches and sniffs lightly, before squinting.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Shit…I smell like mother use to…”  
Eclipse: (Distracted) “The shower is in the room to your left.”  
  
 _Gama glares coldly at Eclipse as he enters the shower room, only to be greeted by Rodimus Prime jumping out with the showerhead and blasting water all over him._  
  
Rodimus: (Laughing) “Got you there! Hahaha!”  
  
 _Gama scowls and shakes himself off._  
  
Gama: (Bitter) “What are you doing here?!”  
Rodimus: (Smug) “Oh, just thought I’d stop by and see how they planned on containing the beast in you; Acidstorm and Thundercracker have been keeping me in the dark about this.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “I’m not an animal, you said I wasn’t.”  
Rodimus: (Teasing) “Then why do you continue to flash your teeth at me? Hm? That’s not exactly a smile.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “You jumped out of the shower room and soaked me through; I do not like getting wet unless I deem it necessary.”  
Rodimus: (Smug) “I was just having a bit of fun, Gama! Where’s your sense of humour?”  
  
 _Gama roars.  
  
_ Eclipse: (VO) “Please lower your voices, don’t make me get up and go to the library.”  
Rodimus: (Quietly) “Let’s just put the family feud behind us, Gama. It was their war, not ours.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “It’s still ours, _Hot Rod_.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Its Rodimus Prime now, Gama.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Its Gamatron now, Hot Rod.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “Show some respect to the Autobot Leader, I could easily get you kicked out of here and blasted into exile.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “Then show some respect to the Decepticon Leader; ME!!”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “The Decepticons are all dead; you’re the last one and that does not make you a Leader, it makes you a loner!”  
Gama: (Roaring) “WHAT?!”  
  
 _Gama growls and bears his fangs again as Rodimus steadily showed signs of anger himself.  
  
_ Eclipse: (VO) “Take it outside you two! I’m revising for an exam!!”  
  
 _Rodimus pushes past Gama forcefully, with Gama grasping onto his arm in anger to stop him leaving.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “It’s not over, and it never will be until one of us is dead.”  
Rodimus: (Coldly) “Alright, you want to settle the score now? Then come outside.”  
  
 _Rodimus forces Gama’s hold off of him and glares, before leaving the room and heading outside.  
Gama mutters to himself and takes a step towards the door, before stopping and looking at his belly, shaking his head to forget about the pregnancy, and finally heading out the door and outside the dorms where Rodimus Prime was waiting.  
  
_ Rodimus:  “Took your time.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “…I can’t fight you, Hot Rod.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Oh? A moment ago you were more than happy to aggravate, mentioning this feud would go on until one of us was dead. Are you chickening out now that you realise I might actually beat you?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “No…”  
  
 _Nearby humans and students stop in their journey to stand and watch.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Then what is it? Tell me now, apologise or put up your fists.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “I…I can’t…”  
  
 _Rodimus clicks his neck and flexes his arms as more bystanders appear to watch.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Alright, time for me to put you in your place, Gama.”  
  
 _Before Gama could react, Rodimus had charged for him and slammed his frame into the floor; bystanders of all kinds began cheering Rodimus on, as he began to beat Gama with his fists. Gama tried to defend his belly area, ignoring the blows he was receiving everywhere else, and cringed as he heard old Decepticons scream for Rodimus to kill him.  
Gama squirmed as he was grappled across the neck by Rodimus, who steadily began choking him. Rodimus releases Gama the instant he hears a gunshot and gets some distance, before pulling out his pistol and taking aim at Gama, who lied on the ground struggling to regain his breath.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Angry) “That’ enough; both of you!!”  
  
 _Rodimus lowers his weapon as Acidstorm approaches Gama and helps him up.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Muttering) “I leave you for five minutes and you get into a fight…am I going to have to watch you all day?”  
Rodimus: “Take him to a glass box and leave him there, he’s too dangerous to be around civilised people.”  
Acidstorm: (Angry) “Hold your vocal processors, Rodimus. He’s no different to me or you.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Right, right…I forgot Decepticons were still Cybertronians…primitive beast, Cybertronians.”  
  
 _Acidstorm shakes his head as he keeps Gama close to him.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Go and report to Thundercracker and tell him what happened before I go and tell him instead, maybe then he won’t tell Ultra Magnus and get you suspended.”   
  
 _Rodimus ‘tsks’ before watching Acidstorm escort Gama back inside; once they were out of public view, Acidstorm began speaking._  
  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “As for you; you should know better than to look for a fight in this condition.”  
Gama: (Sighing) “I know.”  
Acidstorm: “If he landed one, strong blow to your belly, that could cause irreversible damages to your eggs.”  
Gama: (Growling) “I know.”  
  
 _Acidstorm sighs as he leads Gama into his room, with Eclipse STILL lying on his bed reading, totally ignoring them both. Acidstorm pats Gama on the shoulder as he sets him down on his own bed._  
  
Acidstorm: “Relax, remain calm…you’re here to learn how to control yourself, not continue your family feud.”  
 _  
Gama looks away from Acidstorm and refuses to make eye-contact.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “I’ll be in the clinic if you ever need me, you can come by anytime you like.” _  
  
Acidstorm pats Gama’s shoulder again before taking his leave, with the Leader class throwing himself backwards across the bed so he can stare at the ceiling.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Nine months of this…Hmph…I don’t think I’ll last that long, surrounded by Autobots and traitors, and with the weakened state this pregnancy will put me in.”  
  
 _Gama rolls onto his side, making sure Eclipse cannot see what he is doing, before gently stroking his belly.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Three months and they’ll come out, then six months outside…it seems too big a coincidence that they chose to end my time here at the exact moment the eggs are due to hatch; perhaps they wanted to keep me confined, to study how a male pregnancy goes?...no…mother was half male, and Perceptor studied her for the research into Cybertronian Pregnancy…so what could they be up to? What research haven’t they got yet about my breed or Cybertronian Pregnancy?”  
 _  
Gama sighs heavily and looks down at his tummy as he continues stroking it.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Think Gama….think…”  
  
 _Gama cautiously looks over his shoulder to stare at Eclipse, who was still reading, before ceasing his tummy rubbing to turn and face him fully.  
  
_ Gama: “Eclipse, I have a question for you.”  
  
 _Eclipse stops reading for a second to glance at Gama, before continuing to read._  
  
Eclipse: (Distracted) “Let’s hear it.”  
Gama: “Perceptor performed a thorough study into Cybertronian Pregnancy, Decepticon Behaviour and Breed Behaviours…I was wondering if he missed some subjects in the research.”  
 Eclipse: (Distracted) “According to the documents I studied earlier this year, he’s missing a fair few things; Acidstorm volunteered to take over on filling in on the missing research once Perceptor took charge at the Energon Crystal facility back on Cybertron.”  
Gama: (Curious) “…what articles were missing?”  
Eclipse: (Distracted) “Trust me, a lot was missing. I’d be here all afternoon telling you them all, and I don’t have that amount of time.”  
Gama: (Stern) “List me a few titles, I do not need in-depth information yet.”  
  
 _Eclipse sighs and puts his book down, before rubbing the bridge of his nose.  
  
_ Eclipse: (Groaning) “Robonetic Disorders, Social Hierarchy in the Decepticons, Crossbreed behaviour, Decepticon Leader Class behaviour, Human and Cybertronian interactivity, Male pregnancy…”  
Gama: “O-okay…that’s enough.”  
Eclipse: (Annoyed) “Can I finish doing my revision in peace now?”  
  
 _Gama nods meekly, watching Eclipse once again become engrossed in his studies. Gama stares vacantly at him for a few moments before laying back on his side with his back facing Eclipse, allowing him to rub his tummy without being seen.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “It could be one of three of those…and if it happens to be that Leader Class Behaviour one then I could end up being stuck around Acidstorm for a very long time…but because they’re letting me go after my pregnancy, it’s most likely not that one he’s using me for; it must be the male pregnancy study.” _  
  
Gama closes his eye and purrs softly, getting comfortable on his bed.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “With that being the case, I have nothing to be afraid of. I should just do as he says and relax, let these months roll by stress-free…”  
  
 _Gama sighs heavily and stops stroking his tummy, as he slowly began to drift into slumber; his mind and body now at ease.  
As the days rolled on, Gama found himself the target for groups of Autobot to make fun of, along with the constant eyes of Humans always watching him; and it seemed no matter where he was, either Acidstorm or Thundercracker where watching him. At first, Gama sees the watching as nothing more than assessment of how well he was fitting in with the others, but once the days turned into weeks he began to feel nervous; every check-up he had with Acidstorm was fine and relaxing putting his worried mind, over his unborn eggs health, at ease. But seeing Acidstorm out of the corner of his eye down the corridors, or lurking outside the classroom door, irritated him slightly; but once he saw Thundercracker taking over the ‘watching always’ role, the uneasiness within him skyrocketed. Thundercracker was going to take his eggs away from him once he had the chance, and he also was involved with the research program Perceptor started those many years ago; for most of his time at the academy, Gama felt like a lab rat.  
His mood wasn’t getting any better as he gained weight from the pregnancy, as the Autobot punks had more reasons to make fun of him than ever before, and those who watched him carefully were now staring at the growing belly. Gama’s cravings also made things awkward as time rolled on, and instead of sticking to his Energon and occasional mineral diet, Gama found himself ripping parts from desks and equipment to stuff his face with along with eyeing the small flesh creatures in curiosity (much like his mother did in the past) wondering if they would provide his unborn with any missing nutrients.  
And just when he felt his pregnancy was going a little better, with two months to go before laying the eggs, Gama’s mood dropped; it flat lined, sending him into moments of despair and anguish on random intervals. He began skipping classes to go and cry in private, began locking Eclipse out of their room to sleep alone, and even began to stop visiting Acidstorm.  
Gama convinced himself to start attending classes again, and tried to bottle up his emotions as best he could to allow himself to keep attending.   
And now, in Elita One’s study of Biological Lifeforms class, he’d have ‘the talk’ to set things straight for him; for today his teacher was not available, and instead the class had a substitute…who happened to be Gama’s mother; Solarflare.  
  
_ Solarflare: “Alright class; sadly your teacher Elita One is not available today for your lesson, so I’m taking her place for the time being. Begin by opening your databanks to section four or textbooks to page forty five.”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself as he searches his databank for the correct section; muttering about why his mother had to be the teacher. Grimlock raises his hand._  
  
Solarflare: “Yes Grimlock?”  
Grimlock: (Annoyed) “Um…me Grimlock think we done this part.”  
Solarflare: (Chuckling) “You’re right Grimlock, I believe Elita covered this topic last week so I’m going to quiz you on it.”  
  
Everyone in the class whines and _Gama lowers himself down, attempting to hide.  
  
_ Grimlock: “Me Grimlock not need quiz to let others know me smart!!”  
Solarflare: (Chuckling) “If you take part, you’ll get a reward for the highest score.”  
  
 _Suddenly everyone with the exception of Gama becomes interested. Solarflare sets out two Energon cubes and a black box on the desk.  
  
_ Solarflare: “Second and third highest scores get some Energon that I made myself. The one with the highest score gets the mystery prize. Everyone want to take part now?”  
  
 _Everyone in the class except Gama respond positively. Solarflare claps to regain everyone’s attention._  
  
Solarflare: “Okay! Now you’ll find the quiz on your notebooks; fill them out and when they’re complete send them to the main receiver. You have twenty minutes to answer the questions; begin!”  
  
 _The group begin the quiz: Gama reluctantly takes out his writing utensil and begins answering everything, until feeling something move inside his growing belly. He pauses and looks down at it when suddenly he gets the craving to consume something, anything, to stop the movement within him. Gama slips his hand under his desk whilst still writing, and sneaks out a slither of metal from its supports which he quickly pops into his mouth and begins chewing._  
  
Solarflare: (VO/Annoyed)” Gama that better not be gum.”  
  
 _Gama flinches and swallows the metal, but the ‘kicking’ was still continuing.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Damn it…how do I make it stop?”  
  
 _Solarflare wanders up the stairway to the back of the lecture theatre, and looks over Gama’s shoulder to see if he was doing the quiz, before retreating back down the stairs. The class finishes their quiz in silence, before Solarflare begins looking through the chart of results.  
  
_ Solarflare: “Okay, everyone did excellent on the quiz so EVERYONE gets Energon AND they get to leave early!”  
  
 _The class cheers and everyone rushes from their seats to grab Energon before leaving the classroom; Solarflare coughs as Gama attempts to leave.  
  
_ Solarflare: (Quietly) “Stay behind for a minute, alright?”  
  
 _Gama lowers his head in shame as Solarflare says goodbye to the last student, before pulling up a chair for Gama to sit on. Solarflare sits in her seat behind the desk, tapping her fingers on the mystery prize box beside her as Gama sits down nervously.  
  
_ Solarflare: (Quietly) “…I didn’t know you were pregnant, Gama.”  
  
 _Gama bolts his attention up to express shock at his mother, who smiles softly at her own belly.  
  
_ Solarflare: (Motherly) “It’s alright, I won’t tell anyone; it can be our little secret.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “B-but I…”  
Solarflare: “Everything is fine, sweetheart. I went through pregnancy twice, so you can ask me anything you want.”  
  
 _Gama blushes and looks down at his belly.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “It was t-that obvious?”  
Solarflare:  (Motherly) “Only a Breeder or a scientist would know you’re pregnant, Gama. So don’t worry.”  
Gama: “W-well…can you um…tell me how to stop this kicking feeling?”  
Solarflare: (Quietly) “Kicking? M-may I…?”  
  
 _Gama tilts his head, watching as his mother nodded to his belly.  
  
_ Gama: “Uhh…sure…”  
  
 _Solarflare smiles and gets out of her seat to kneel down beside Gama, gently placing her hands onto his swollen belly. She makes hushing sounds and strokes it lovingly before standing back up to bring her chair closer to Gama.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “H-how did you make it stop?”  
Solarflare: (Softly) “I let them know someone is listening to them; that someone is there with them.”  
Gama: “But they’re just eggs…”  
  
 _Solarflare sits in her seat and sighs heavily.  
  
_ Solarflare: “I miss the feeling of pregnancy more than ever now, Gama.”  
Gama: (Sickly) “I’m feeling the urge to hurl that scrap metal I just ate.”  
  
 _Solarflare grabs the mystery box and searches through it, before finding what she was looking for and tossing a small bag to Gama who opens it; revealing Energon goodies and minerals.  
  
_ Solarflare: “Eat the minerals, the babies need them to grow.”  
  
 _Gama tediously takes out the minerals and tastes them, watching his mother who nods in approval, before wolfing them down savagely.  
  
_ Solarflare: (Sighing) “I’m not going to ask how, or why, or who they belong to; I’m just going to let you know I’ll always be there for you Gama no matter what, and you can come to me for anything.”  
  
 _Gama begins sheepishly eating the Energon goodies, staring like an eager child at his mother.  
  
_ Solarflare: “You will need to make sure at least Acidstorm knows you’re…in this condition…just in case something goes wrong; will you make sure of that before the end of the day?”  
Gama: (Eating) “Mhmmm…he already knows…I use to see him a lot…”  
Solarflare: (Sighing) “Oh thank Primus, that’s a relief….and what do you mean you ‘use’ to see him a lot?”  
Gama: (Eating) “I got depressed…stopped seeing him…tried to run away and hide.”  
Solarflare: (Motherly) “If you feel depressed you should talk to someone about it, like Acidstorm; he knows how to help you.”  
Gama: (Eating) “O-okay…I’ll see him again if you want me to.”  
  
 _Solarflare nods and sighs as she watches Gama begin eating much faster._  
  
Gama: (Eating) “Mother, how do I get around…*muffle* the desires to…*muffle* oh man these are good Energon goodies.”  
  
 _Solarflare looks down at Gama’s belly again and smiles lovingly.  
  
_ Solarflare: (Softly) “I made them myself, sweetie.”  
  
 _Gama wolfs down the last goodie and sucks his fingers seductively, before realising he just did it in front of his mother.  
  
_ Solarflare: “I know what you were asking, Gama; how do you stop the urges to frag-off or plug-and-play.”  
  
 _Gama eeps and looks away in shame.  
  
_ Solarflare: (Chuckling) “When it happens, it happens; you can only try to ignore it or satisfy it.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “I…I see…”  
Solarflare: “If you must satisfy it, make sure nobody else is plugging in there; it could kill your eggs.”  
  
 _Gama coughs in surprise.  
  
_ Solarflare: (Blushing) “A serious orgasm, the types triggered by interfacing with another, can trigger a premature delivery…or at least it will if you have a very weak Fusion Cavity like mine.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “Um…alright mother…I’ll…I’ll make sure not to do that…”   
Solarflare: (Quietly) “So yes you can; if anything it’s good for you and the eggs, and I’d suggest you do it every now and then.”  
  
 _Solarflare gets out of her seat and stretches, before approaching Gama and kissing him on the forehead.  
  
_ Solarflare: (Motherly) “I need to finish some more of Elita One’s work, but call me anytime alright sweetie?”  
  
 _She kisses his forehead again before leaving the room, with Gama sat in his seat for a few moments in deep though. Gama gets out of his seat and wanders down the corridor back to the dormitory section and eventually reaching his room. Gama looks around the room thoroughly to ensure he was alone, before locking the door behind him and closing the window blinds.  
He throws himself face first onto his bed and groans tiredly, closing his eye for a moment as he rolls onto his back once laying on his swollen belly became uncomfortable.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “Count the ceiling tiles…just count them…”  
  
 _Gama opens his eye and begins counting the tiles, groaning in annoyance after counting half of them, before spreading his legs apart and placing his hands onto his belly._

Gama: (Quietly) “What to do…what to do…”  
  
 _Gama removes his hand from his belly once he feels the young ‘kick’ again._  
  
Gama: (Groaning) “Oh please…”  
  
 _The spasms intensify as Gama continues to ignore them, as if the eggs were screaming for attention. Gama sighs heavily before placing his hand onto his belly once again and gently stroked it, causing the spasms to slowly die down; they didn’t stop however, and in annoyance Gama stopped stroking his belly. The eggs quickly began stirring again, making their ‘mother’ growl in anger so much that he firmly slapped his belly._  
  
Gama: (Growling) “Brats; don’t milk the attention I am willing to give!”  
  
 _Gama sighs as he feels the spasms suddenly stop and he slowly begins to feel sick; he sits upright and rushes to the washroom before throwing up into a bucket, steadily dragging himself from the washroom and back to his bed. Once he was comfortable on the bed again, he relaxes and enters slumber.  
A short while into his sleep, he felt the eggs stirring again; each stir from them was uncomfortable, because he instinctively sought to stroke his bulging belly to sooth it, and it made him feel weak. Instead of stroking it, he once again slapped it firmly and growled only to be rewarded with more sickly feelings in his processor.  
Gama arches himself upright, covering his mouth as he felt vomit try to work its way up his throat, and chose to swallow it back down again._  
  
Gama: (Muttering) “What the fuck do you want me to do, hug and kiss it?”  
  
 _Gama sighs heavily and lays back down, listening to the rhythmic beat of his Spark and the soon-to-be Sparks of his eggs. He blushes lightly as he closes his eye and feels the eggs churn inside of him, purring at the activity but at the same time leaving him feeling awkward at what he had to do to sooth it. He spreads his legs again and pats his belly softly, but the stirring doesn’t stop; so he tries a firm slap again, which makes him feel sick.  
  
_ Gama: (Softly) “Slapping makes you hurt me too…so I guess that’s out of the question from now on then hmm?”  
  
 _The eggs stir more at the sound of Gama’s voice, perking his interests.  
  
_ Gama: (Softly) “You like it when I talk to you then?”  
  
 _He places his hand onto his belly and strokes it gently, feeling the eggs stop their stirring.  
  
_ Gama: (Smirking) “Just like a kitten; talk mushy and stroke it and they’re fine.”  
 _  
Gama purrs and lightly pats his belly before closing his eye and drifting back to sleep.  
_  
Gama’s Sub-conscious: (VO) “Gama, Gama, Gama; is this what you’ve become? A Femcon? Mushy and soft over a few little eggs? I’m disappointed.”  
  
 _Gama awakens immediately and sits upright, scouting the room franticly, but sees nobody else there. He lies back down and removes his hand from his belly, looking at it distastefully._  
  
Gama: (Annoyed) “…no…you won’t change me…I’m a Leader like my father was…you don’t need me to touch you…”  
  
 _The eggs stir again as if trying to tell their mother to love them, but Gama resists._  
  
Gama: (Annoyed) “N-no…I won’t do it anymore…I’m not weak…”  
  
 _Gama clings to his pillow and whimpers as he feels the eggs stir even more, and begins crying himself to sleep.  
  
_


	2. Suspicions

_A week later and Gama had strolled to his least liked class; Wheeljacks Repair class. After sitting through the lesson, resisting the urges to talk and touch his belly, he felt relief knowing today he’d be seeing Acidstorm for his check-up after a long while not seeing him._  
  
Wheeljack: “And that’s how you stabilise an overloading reactor core. Any questions?”  
  
 _The class remains silent, until the bell rings whereby they all instantly begin gathering their things to leave. Wheeljack groans and face-palms._  
  
Wheeljack: (Annoyed) “Class fucking dismissed.”

_Gama stands up and beings gathering his items; he pauses for a moment to look at his belly, before sighing. He walks down the stairs from the back of the lecture theatre to leave the room, passing by Bumblebee, Grimlock and Eclipse as he leaves._

Bumblebee: (Curious) “You guys; is it just me or is Gama putting on a lot of weight? His belly looks a lot bigger than it did two weeks ago.”  
Grimlock: “Ugh…me not notice till now…him big! Belly is bigger than me Grimlocks!”  
Eclipse: (Pondering) “His sleeping habits have been rather odd too; instead of sharing the room with me like he did in the first few weeks, he’s been getting into it before me and locking me out so I have to sleep outside.”  
Grimlock: “Maybe him sick?”  
Eclipse: (Suspecting) “He did throw up a few times this past week, but I’m not sure if it’s mental illness or physical.”  
Bumblebee: (Whispering) “Wasn’t he heading to Acidstorms clinic again?”  
Eclipse: (Muttering) “He’s gone countless times the past month and a half…I do wonder what is really wrong with him…”  
Grimlock: “Me Grimlock think we should find out! Me become first Dino-detective guy!!”  
  
 _The three Autobots nod at one another before gathering up their things and moving out the classroom, following Gama at a safe distance. Once Gama had reached the clinic, he approaches the desk and forces a cough.  
  
_ Arcee: (Startled) “G-Gama! You surprised me!”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “What, am I really that hideous?”  
Arcee: (Sighing) “Please Gama, we’ve been over this before.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “And you still don’t expect me to come back here, even though you know I’ve been unwell and skipping my appointments…regardless of Acidstorms examinations leaving me feeling violated, I know I need to come back.”  
Arcee: “Unless you’re suffering from Energon Poisoning or Pregnancy you don’t need to come here. And you don’t look like a Poisoning Patient to me, AND you’re male which makes pregnancy impossible.”  
Gama: (Growling) “You’re not my doctor! Just let him know I’m here!!”  
Arcee: (Sighing) “Alright…alright…geez…you have such a bad temper.”  
  
 _Arcee calls Acidstorm through the clinics phone, as Gama pouts under her suspecting looks. Grimlock and the others are lurking in the doorway, listening.  
  
_ Arcee: “Acidstorm can see you now, go right through.”  
  
 _Gama snorts as he passes by Arcee, slamming the door behind him as he enters Acidstorms clinic. Once he was out of sight, Grimlock and the others rush to Arcee to ask her questions.  
Inside the clinic, Gama is sat on an examination bed, cautiously watching Acidstorm.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Gama; how nice of you to finally come and see me again.” _  
  
Gama mutters to himself.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Smirking) “So, how have you been this week…or month…since I’ve not seen you.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Vomiting and moments of dizzy spells, one case of falling asleep in class. I also have suffered from a near constant throbbing in my belly, aching back, weight gain, random outbursts of crying and frequent loss of appetite.”  
Acidstorm: “Hmm…two of those symptoms don’t quite fit Gama in the whole, erm, ‘pregnancy’ routine. Have you eaten today at all?”  
Gama: “No.”  
Acidstorm: (Pondering) “I see…and what about yesterday?”  
Gama: “No.”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “I’m guessing you’ve not eaten all week?”  
  
 _Gama weakly nods._  
  
Acidstorm: (Thinking) “How have you been in regards to interaction?”  
Gama: “Huh?”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “Have you been rubbing your tummy?”  
  
 _Gama squints in shame and looks away.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “I can’t tell if that was a yes or a no.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “I…I haven’t.”  
Acidstorm: “Oh…well…what about talking to it?”  
Gama: (Meekly) “No…”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “…erm…’Gama happy-time’?”  
  
 _Gama shakes his head and looks to the floor._  
  
Acidstorm: (Worried) “I can see where this is going.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “…they’re killing me, aren’t they?”  
Acidstorm: (Sympathetic) “Oh no, no, no, no Gama…you just need some tender loving care, is all.”  
Gama: (Sniffling) “I feel so alone though Acidstorm…he’s not here…nobody else likes me…”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “Hush Gama…I like you and your mother loves you.”  
  
 _Acidstorm approaches Gama and places a hand onto his tummy, gently rubbing it.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “They’re stirring, Gama…they want some love too.”  
Gama: (Sniffling) “I can’t…I…I can’t…”  
Acidstorm: (Softly) “It’s easy, Gama…just do what I do.”  
  
 _Acidstorm takes one of Gama’s hands in his own and places it onto his tummy, before motioning it to stroke it.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “They love you, Gama. Let them know you love them back.”  
  
 _Gama sniffles and fights the urge to cry as he feels the young stirring inside of him. Acidstorm slowly retreats his hand from Gama’s and smiles as he observes Gama rubbing his tummy himself.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “Just do that when you feel them stirring and you’ll start feeling better emotionally in no time, and with you feeling better emotionally, you should regain your appetite.”  
  
 _Gama quickly stops rubbing his tummy as soon as he realised he looked weak.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “You need to have ‘happy-time’ every now and then too.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “D-don’t be absurd! I don’t need to--”  
Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “Just a little is all it will take to speed up your emotional recovery.”  
  
 _Gama blushes and growls._  
 _  
_Acidstorm: “I need to do the usual examinations now, Gama; along with a new one which will become routinely in our visits. Please lie down.”  
 _  
Gama lies down across the bed; Acidstorm gently feels Gama’s belly, before listening to it and gathering a temperature reading.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Well the young are certainly making use of what little space they have, they’re moving a lot. I didn’t detect any signs of external damage either which is good, but your temperature is a little high, but that’s likely caused by the lack of eating correctly.”  
  
 _Acidstorm taps Gama’s shoulder, telling him to sit upright. He helps Gama off the bed and leads him to a labouring chair.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Sit in this, please.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “You’re kidding, right?”  
Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “Nope. Now sit down; make sure your legs are on the rests so they’re kept apart.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “Y-you’re not prodding anything up there!!”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “It’s an internal check-up, Gama. It’s very important to both your survival and the young’s.”  
 _  
Gama growls deeply before sighing in defeat; he climbs into the seat and reluctantly spreads his legs apart in the birthing chair. Acidstorm places a rubber glove like item on his hand, before squatting between Gama’s legs to examine his tailpipe.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “H-hurry it up already!”  
Acidstorm: “Hey you can’t rush this! I need to make sure you’re healthy!”  
 _  
Gama yelps in surprise as he feels Acidstorm quickly poke into his tailpipe, and before he knew it the examination was done.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “All done! Now that wasn’t so bad was it?” _  
_Gama: (Annoyed) “You didn’t need to do it; you did it to violate me…”  
Acidstorm: (Laughing) “Oh Gama, if I was going to violate you, I’d have climbed on top of you and drilled you like a bitch…but no, I just did a quick check to see if you were discharging; thankfully you’re not.”  
  
 _Gama groans as he gets out the birthing chair, with Acidstorm quickly nudging him back into it.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Ah-ah-ah! You’re not leaving yet!”  
Gama: (Blushing) “W-what? I thought examinations were done?!”  
Acidstorm: (Smirking) “They are, but I want to help you on your emotional recovery; I’m not having you leave here to cry to sleep again.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “I-if you’re going to flirt then I’m going to hit you really hard.”  
 _  
Acidstorm chuckles softly and approaches Gama’s belly, before stroking it and looking at it.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “You’re all active today, aren’t you? Yes you are! Yes you are!”  
Gama: (Blushing) “T-this is embarrassing!”  
Acidstorm: “Lighten up Gama, how else do you expect them to form a bond with you if you don’t interact with them?”  
  
 _Gama growls and looks away as Acidstorm continues to stroke his belly and talk to it.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “Come on Gama; say hello.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “T-they can’t hear me, so no.”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “Actually, they can; they can hear every word we say, they just might not understand it.”  
Gama: “Further proof of why it is pointless.”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “I said ‘might not’, there’s a chance that they will.”  
  
 _Gama huffs and looks down at his belly.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “Now go on; say hello.”  
  
 _Gama blushes and folds his arms.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “…hello.”  
  
 _Acidstorm chuckles and strokes Gama’s belly as he feels the eggs stir in excitement.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “See? They love it when you talk to them!”  
 _  
Gama groans, looking away from his belly still blushing. Acidstorm sneaks around from Gama’s side back to between his legs, and eyes his tailpipe.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “Don’t even think about it, bud. Mother told me to keep others hoses out of there.”  
Acidstorm: (Smirking) “I wasn’t thinking of using my hose.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “N-nothing goes up there.”  
Acidstorm: (Slyly) “I think it’d be very therapeutic.”  
Gama: (Growling) “It’s still NO.”  
 _  
Acidstorm sighs and walks back alongside Gama, and strokes his belly again.  
  
_ Gama: “I see you changed your mind.”  
Acidstorm: (Slyly) “I’m still interested in making you smile, Gama.” _  
  
Acidstorm purrs and nuzzles Gama’s belly, making him blush and leak a slight giggle. Acidstorm sneaks a hand between Gama’s legs and inserts a finger into his tailpipe, causing Gama to cling to the chair and moan softly as Acidstorm slowly pushed in and out of him.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Purring) “Your Spark-pulse shot right up there, and the feel of the inner linings of your ‘port’ suggest you’re highly aroused, Gama.”  
  
 _Gama pants as Acidstorm continues to invade his tailpipe with his finger.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Pondering) “I wonder where your ‘secret spot’ is Gama…how about I try finding it for you?”  
Gama: (Panting) “T-that won’t be necessary!”  
Acidstorm: (Purring) “Oh? It would make your happy time shorter if you found it…not that you’d want it to be short once you realise how much fun you get from it.”  
  
 _Acidstorm chuckles as he wiggles inside Gama’s tailpipe, searching for a spot that would trigger an orgasm. Gama slips out a moan, which Acidstorm tries to stimulate again.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “It’s right there Gama, can you feel it?”  
Gama: “*Moaning excessively*”  
Acidstorm: (Smirking) “I’ll take that as a yes.”  
 _  
Acidstorm pulls out of Gama after tickling his secret spot for a few seconds. Gama pants before growling angrily at Acidstorm.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Blushing) “W-what? Didn’t you feel good?”  
Gama: (Growling) “Don’t touch me like that unless I ask you to.”  
  
 _Acidstorm smirks deviously, slipping to between Gama’s legs again to ensure he wasn’t leaking, before assisting Gama out of the chair.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “You need happy time now and again Gama, so do it to yourself somewhere private otherwise I’ll do it to you when you visit me. Understand?”  
Gama: (Blushing) “Y-yes but…I won’t allow you to do it again.”  
Acidstorm: “No choice there mister; unless you’re happy the eggs won’t develop healthily; and I’m going to ensure they along with you are in tip-top condition.”  
  
 _Acidstorm pats Gama on the back as he leads him out the room and into the public clinic; Grimlock and the others try to hide so Gama couldn’t see that they’d followed him.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Quietly) “Take some Cybertonium with oil deposits three times a week and that should lower your temperature a little, and get plenty of rest.”   
_  
Gama blushes and nods as Acidstorm writes out a prescription and hands it to him.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Grab the Cybertonium anytime, that’s a repeat prescription; I’ll see you tomorrow.” _  
  
Gama nods meekly still blushing, as Acidstorm pats him on the back on his way out of the clinic. Grimlock and the others rush out of their hiding spot and swarm Acidstorm.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Smirking) “Looks like my hands will be full today, Arcee.”  
 _  
Arcee rolls her eyes.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Slyly) “How can I help you boys?”  
Grimlock: “Me Grimlock want to know what wrong with Gama! Him look funny!”  
 _  
Acidstorm rubs the back of his head and blushes.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Oh G-Gama? Well…this is a private and confidential place, so I can’t tell you anything about why he visits me.”  
Bumblebee: (Whining) “Aw come on Acidstorm! Gama’s been locking Eclipse outside of his room because of whatever is wrong!”  
Acidstorm: “Well unless Eclipse is seriously suffering from it, then I can’t intervene.”  
Eclipse: (Sighing) “I have lost a fair bit of down-time because of it, my concentration as a result has dropped.”  
 _  
Acidstorm ponders for a moment, before clicking his fingers.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “I know you love to study, Eclipse, but you need to beat Gama back to the room to stop him locking you out…or you could bunk with Bumblebee if he beats you to it.” _  
_Bumblebee: (Whining) “No fair! My room is cramped enough already!”  
Grimlock: “Me not care about Gama’s bad things he does; me Grimlock only care about why him fat! Why him Gama so fat?”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Errr…”  
Eclipse: (Suspecting) “Maybe he’s not telling us because it’s something that will humiliate Gama.”  
Bumblebee: (Whining) “Oh come on; it’s bad enough he has to put up with those creeps constantly teasing him, the last thing he needs is ANOTHER problem.”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “…wait a minute…he’s being teased?”  
Bumblebee: “Yeah.”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “By who?”  
Eclipse: (Stern) “A group of Autobots, they started picking on him ever since he showed up at the Academy. A recent group of Titrons have started to join them with it too.”  
  
 _Acidstorm mutters to himself before leaning over Arcees reception desk, grabbing the phone to make a quick call._  
 _  
_Acidstorm: (On Phone) “Hey this is Acidstorm…get me Thundercracker right away.” _  
  
The trio of curious Autobots squints as Acidstorm focuses a very intimidating glare onto them.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (On Phone) “Oh hey Thundercracker, sorry to disturb you but we have a bit of a problem with Gama.”  
  
 _Acidstorm hums and begins twirling the phone cable around his fingers.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (On Phone) “No, it’s not that…or that…no, it’s got nothing to do with ‘that’ either…he’s being bullied by Autobots and recently Titrons.” _  
  
Acidstorm nods an ‘uhuh’ repeatedly.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (On Phone) “Give me a minute, I’ll ask them.”  
  
 _The trio slowly begin backing away as Acidstorm covers the speaker on the phone.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Stern) “What are they bullying him about, exactly?”  
Grimlock: “Uhh…me Grimlock think it because him last Decepticon.”  
Eclipse: (Quietly) “And the recent gain in weight.”  
Bumblebee: (Sighing) “And the fact his dad was Megatron.”  
Grimlock: “Me Grimlock know Titrons pick on him because him use to be with Crasher!”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “That’s enough boys, you can go now.”  
  
 _The trio tilt their heads in unison and watch Acidstorm as he returns to the call.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (On Phone) “Multiple reasons for Autobots, but it seems the Titrons are doing it because of the little ‘fling’ he had with Crasher.”  
  
 _Acidstorm nods an ‘uhuh’ again.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (On Phone) “Alright, good. I’ll see you in thirty minutes…yes, yes, I’ll make sure Gama’s with me…alright. Later.”  
  
 _Acidstorm hands the phone back to Arcee and nods.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Thanks for that…”  
  
 _Acidstorm turns to the trio again, folding his arms.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Stern) “Boys, if you’re not sick then please go now. I have a lot to do before I see Thundercracker.”  
Eclipse: (Nervous) “Erm…s-sorry Acidstorm.”  
Grimlock: “Uh…me Grimlock still not know why Gama fat.”  
Acidstorm: (Coldly) “Keep it that way, we don’t want him to get anymore upset than he already is. Now go to class.”  
  
 _The trio lower their heads in shame before leaving the room, as Acidstorm thought to himself for a few moments before taking the phone again.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (On Phone) “…Jetfire; I need Gama ASAP. Bring him to my clinic within twenty minutes.” _  
  
Within twenty minutes, Jetfire had located Gama and brought him back to the clinic. Thundercracker, bang on time, arrived at the clinic and ordered everyone except Acidstorm and Gama to leave the facility for the time being.  
Inside, Gama is sat on the side of the examination bed with Acidstorm sat calmly in a chair and Thundercracker pacing back and forth in the room.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Gama, it’s been a month and already we have problems.”  
Gama: (Snorting) “Problems? I don’t see any problems.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “You being bullied, your lack of attendance to your appointments visiting Acidstorm, low performance in classes, causing discomfort to fellow roommates.”  
Gama: (Growling) “I’m not being bullied.”  
Acidstorm: “Um, actually, you are; we’ve had anonymous witnesses say it.”  
  
 _Gama squints and looks away, folding his arms.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Now what have others been doing to you?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Name calling and the occasional object thrown at me; it’s nothing.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Who throws the objects at you?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Some Titron punks…but like I said, it’s nothing.”  
Thundercracker: “It is NOT ‘nothing’, Gama; it is something that needs looking into with great care. The last thing we want is for you to lose your temper and hurt someone else as well as potentially hurting yourself and your eggs.”  
Acidstorm: (Nodding) “My point exactly.”  
Thundercracker: “I want to know the reasons why this bullying has even started; I only heard brief ideas over the phone.”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “We established one cause for the Titrons behaviour; the romantic relations he had with Crasher immediately signalled to others that he was gay or at least bisexual. They’d be making fun of him for that.”  
Gama: (Growling) “They do it because Crasher was their boss, and they didn’t like the idea of him sleeping with me.”  
Thundercracker: “Even though you do not radiate a SparkMate Bond anymore they still do it?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “They’re lingering on the past.”  
 _  
Thundercracker mutters to himself and turns to Acidstorm, whispering to him and exchanging nods.  
  
_ Gama: (Sighing) “I know one real reason why they’re all doing it; my weight.”  
 _  
Thundercracker stops whispering to Acidstorm and turns to Gama.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Weight gain?”  
Gama: (Whining) “Yes, unless you’re blind Thundercracker you should clearly see I have gained a large amount of weight.”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “To others it displays Gama as being greedy and lazy, which we both know is not true.”  
Thundercracker: “I see.”  
 _  
Thundercracker ponders for a moment.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Quietly) “He skipped a few of his appointments recently too, so I never saw the gradual progression to this weight; if I was a typical Autobot or Titron youth I’m sure I’d have made fun of it too.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “It wasn’t immediate!!”  
Acidstorm: (Whining) “Immediate or not, you put on a lot of weight very fast.”  
  
 _Thundercracker taps his chin and nods._  
 _  
_Thundercracker: (Stern) “You’re attending your appointments again, as scheduled. If you skip them again we’ll have to resort to caesarean section; in other words, cut you open and take the eggs out.”  
  
 _Gama flinches and places his hand on his belly, gently stroking it perking Acidstorms interests.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “If the bullying continues, tell Acidstorm right away; don’t leave it or try to confront it yourself, understand?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Yes sir.”  
   
 _Thundercracker folds his arms and begins pacing again.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Do not lock Eclipse out of your room either; if you need private time then find somewhere quiet to have it in.”  
Acidstorm: (Blushing) “A-and you can have private time anywhere really, just keep it quiet.”  
Gama: (Growling) “T-talk to me about something else…”  
Thundercracker: “You need to know what to do when labour comes along, or at least the signs that the labour is coming. Do you know either of these?”  
 _  
Gama shakes his head, growling deeply.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “First of all, when you feel labour taking place you come right here; do not go outside or back to your room, you are birthing in a clean environment, not outside in the dirt.”  
Acidstorm: (Enthusiastically) “A-and labour happens after a series of events; first you may feel tired, then masses of pain will swarm in your belly. Your Jellergon will begin to discharge, and your contractions will gradually get more painful as time rolls on. You may also start to lose vision temporarily, or have the urge to push out eggs before real labour starts.”  
Thundercracker: “No matter how much you want to lay them, you must not do it anywhere other than inside the clinic. Any instinctive drives you have to push out your eggs must be temporarily delayed until you’re in here.”  
  
 _Gama sighs and looks down at his belly, still stroking it, looking very upset about something.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Curious) “Gama? Are you feeling alright?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “So much pain and annoyance…I sometimes ask myself; is it really worth it?”  
Thundercracker: “Is what really worth it?”  
Gama: (Sighing) “The eggs. Are they worth it?”  
Acidstorm: (Shocked) “They’re worth every shred of pain! You’re creating life Gama, and that in itself is a miracle!”  
Gama: (Muttering) “I feel uncomfortable though Acidstorm; I’m supposed to be the most feared and respected Breed of Cybertronian…reduced to being a ‘mother’…”  
Acidstorm: “There’s nothing wrong with being a mother.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Mother’s are weak, dependant; always needing protection from the father. My breed was not meant to be that way.”  
Acidstorm: (Softly) “But the mother protects the infants.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “Protecting something else should not be an excuse for personal weakness; mothers are weak and these eggs make ME look weak. My breed is supposed to---”  
 _  
Thundercracker slams a fist against the wall of the clinic.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Shouting) “Forget your stupid Breed’s traits, Gama!”  
  
 _Gama squints as Thundercracker glared at him.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Angry) “The eggs are not making you weak at all; that is a natural part of pregnancy! It will all vanish after you lay those eggs!”  
Gama: (Growling) “I look weak having to touch the damn things.”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “No you don’t; it makes you look like a healthy, loving Cybertronian with feelings.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Which is a sign of weakness, and that becomes a target for others to exploit.”  
Thundercracker: (Angry) “Showing compassion for others is not a sign of weakness, Gama. You should know that by now.”  
 _  
Gama removes his hand from his belly and glares coldly at Thundercracker.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Muttering) “Oh great…here we go.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Gama, if your eggs are stirring you should be comforting them.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “No, that should be the mothers’ job.”  
Thundercracker: (Angry) “You ARE the mother!”  
Gama: (Hissing) “I’m not! I’m a MALE!!”  
Thundercracker: (Shouting) “A male with a PORT, with a FUSION CAVITY, with EGGS INSIDE. You are carrying LIFE; you are a MOTHER.”  
Gama: (Shouting) “I don’t have maternal feelings for them; only mothers have those feelings!!!”  
 _  
Gama snarls at Thundercracker and roars at him as he tried to get closer.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Angry) “You wanted a son; how can you expect to raise him like a loving parent if you can’t even accept the fact that you have feelings yourself?!”  
Gama: (Hissing) “My breed raises the male in a militant environment; there is no motherly nature, they learn no such feelings! Just like I never learnt them!”  
 _  
Thundercracker storms forwards and firmly slaps Gama across the face. Gama refuses to look back at the Seeker after being hit.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Panting) “You do have feelings Gama; you loved Crasher, you cried over separating from him, you express emotions like any Cybertronian would.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “…we’re machines, we shouldn’t feel anything.”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “We’re not ‘just machines’ Gama; we’re sentient life forms, with feelings and dreams. The look on your face earlier, as your stroked you belly, proved just that.”  
Gama: (Growling) “I…I never did---”  
Acidstorm: (Softly) “You didn’t look weak to me when you stroked it, it just proved to me that you cared.”  
Thundercracker: (Sighing) “Exactly my point, Acidstorm; showing emotions is not a sign of weakness. Stroking your belly to comfort your children isn’t either; if you don’t comfort them, they’ll feel alone…and afraid.”  
  
 _Gama snorts.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “You don’t want your son to be born being afraid of you, do you?”  
 _  
Gama says nothing and looks around himself cautiously.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “’Why won’t my mother, or father, comfort me when I cannot see what is going on outside of her? The sounds scare me; I hope it’s not her.’ Do you want him to be thinking that, Gama?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “…no.”  
Thundercracker: “All the shouting that just happened; they heard every word of it. If they can’t understand the language, they most certainly can understand the tone of our voices; knowing we were angry. Anger scares children, so let them know the anger was not directed at them and show them some love.”  
  
 _Gama carefully places his hand onto his tummy and strokes it, watching Thundercracker out of the corner of his eye whilst pretending not to look at him.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “It’s not hard to do, is it Gama?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “No.”  
Thundercracker: “Do you feel any better?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “No, I still feel uncomfortable.”  
Acidstorm: (Softly) “Do you want a pillow for your back?”  
Gama: (Growling) “It’s mental discomfort, Acidstorm; you’re both looking at me whilst I’m vulnerable.”  
 _  
Thundercracker tries to get closer again, but Gama snarls and immediately stops rubbing his tummy.  
  
_ Gama: (Hissing) “You’ve caused enough trouble for me already; keep back.”  
 _  
Thundercracker steps back and rubs his face tiredly.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Acidstorm, keep me informed over Gama’s progress; I’m heading back to base to finish up on a few jobs before I deal with the bullying problems we’ve got going on here.”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “Er…sure thing Thundercracker.”  
Thundercracker: “Gama; I’ll see you in two months. Try to stay healthy.”  
  
 _Gama growls as he watches Thundercracker leave, rubbing his tummy slowly as he turns his attention to Acidstorm.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Sighing) “I don’t see any reason to keep you cooped up in here anymore, you can go now if you want.”  
Gama: “…am I going to be a bad parent?”  
Acidstorm: (Shocked) “Of course not!”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Thundercracker seems to think otherwise, doesn’t he?”  
Acidstorm: (Softly) “He just wants you to be happy and healthy, so that the eggs will be happy and healthy too; a happy mom means happy babies.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “I guess so…but I’m not a mother, no matter what he says; I am a father.”  
Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “Of course, Gama. No male ever wants to be called a ‘mother’.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “I do wish Crasher could be here though sometimes…to make me feel better.”  
  
 _Gama blushes and looks away from Acidstorm._  
  
Gama: (Meekly) “…y-you can feel them instead if you want.”  
 _  
Acidstorm blushes and rubs his head nervously.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Blushing) “Er, well…I’ve done that already and you didn’t seem too comfortable with it.”  
Gama: (Sighing) “I see.”  
Acidstorm: “Just relax and carry on your day as normal, Gama. Something is bound to come up for you to do that will make you feel bright and cheery again, not necessarily with someone else either.”  
  
 _Gama raises a brow.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Er not that I’m implying anything of course!!”  
 _  
Gama sighs and stands up from the side of the bed, still rubbing his tummy.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “Two months to go, and then you’ll feel like a totally new Cybertronian. The weight will be lifted.”  
 _  
Gama mutters to himself in Decepticon as Acidstorm leads him out of the clinic, with Gama ceasing his tummy-rubbing once he was out in the open again.  
  
_


	3. Instincts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads-up of some raunchy gay sex. But you should know I post this stuff by now, right?

_As the final two months rolled by, Gama’s weight grew and grew and grew along with his fears of being seen as weak in the eyes of others. The bullying stopped. He attended his classes as normal. And he began visiting Acidstorm almost every day for a check-up with the occasional dosage of ‘happy-time’ with him. But two problems still remained; he was still locking Eclipse out of their shared room and he was still reluctant in showing compassion for what was brewing inside of his tummy.  
Acidstorm slowly taught Gama to rub his tummy by conditioning him to perform the act in response to certain interactions or sounds; such as sounds infants would make to their mother or touching Gama in certain places. The simulated sound of an infant’s chirp through a whistle, the simulated sound of an infants’ click-calls; these two conditioned sounds alone could be heard randomly anywhere on campus, through similar sounds such as a bird chirping or a happy Cybertronians purring. Once Gama heard the sounds he’d unknowingly begin stroking his tummy; Acidstorm was sure to condition Gama temporarily, as once he’d laid his eggs it was pointless for him to rub his tummy. In classes, Gama would sneak a tummy rub along with his munching on scraps; he’d be asked on the odd occasion by classmates over why he’d gained weight, but he wouldn’t reply.  
And then, bang on cue at 3 months, Gama began feeling his delivery approach. The final week in his pregnancy he felt drowsiness and desires to prematurely deliver, just as Acidstorm and Thundercracker had told him, and he did as instructed; he fought the urges to deliver early and slept when his body told him to sleep, no matter where it was he felt the urge to sleep.  
On the third day of the final week, in the middle of one of Beachcomber’s ‘Study of Natural Order’ class, Gama’s time was soon to come.  
As Beachcomber began the lecture, using a projector to display slides of his presentation, Gama took the chance to rub his tummy once the room turned dark and nobody could see what he was doing. Once the lights turned back on again, however, he stopped stroking his tummy and looked down from the projection to his documents; eyeing his tummy whilst pretending to look at his paperwork. He sighs heavily, placing his head in his hands when suddenly he feels his stomach-area tighten; twitching, shrugging off the spasm as nothing more than indigestion. Gama’s discomfort continued, however, and he felt a liquid slowly beginning to pass through his exhaust system. Gama whimpers as his tummy began its contractions, sending rhythms of pain soaring throughout his body; he clenches his belly in pain but holds back his urge to scream, and instead raises his hand quickly.  
  
_ Beachcomber: “What’s up Gama? You don’t look too good.”  
Gama: (In pain) “M-my processor…it…it feels like I’m about to explode…I need to see Acidstorm.”  
Beachcomber: “You got permission in advanced from Acid to visit him whenever you asked, so go on ahead. Do you want someone to help take you there?”  
 _  
Gama struggles as he gets out of his seat and makes his way down the steps, still clenching his belly, until reaching the doors.  
  
_ Gama: (In Pain) “N-no…I’m fine…I need no help…”  
  
 _Gama slowly makes his way out the doors and down the hallway, until finally reaching the entrance to Acidstorms clinic again; his vision rapidly began to deteriorate, as everything became blurry in short bursts; he pauses and stares at the door, panting, before tightly shutting his eye and growling in agony. He turns from the door and rushes down the corridor to outside; he groans as he struggles to reach one of the far walls of the campus, out of sight of anyone else, before ripping off sheets of the wall and tossing them to the ground.  
Gama kicks his feet in the dust, panting heavily, before kneeling down and quickly digs a hole in the ground with his hands and spiked knuckles. Once the hole was large enough, Gama gathered the parts of the wall he’d torn down and lined them inside the hole before climbing into it; he lies in the hole, his legs spread apart and panting heavily.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “W-what’s going on? Why did I just d-do this??”  
  
 _Gama gasps as he feels his tailpipe steadily begin to flex open, but he forces it to shut again and growls in anger. He tightly shuts his eye and pants faster and harder, attempting to delay the labour, but Acidstorm had found him and was not about to allow this delay.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Shocked) “G-Gama! Oh fuck! You can’t deliver out here!!”  
Gama: (In Pain) “G-go away…I’m fine…”  
Acidstorm: (Shouting) “Thundercracker; over here quick!!”  
  
 _Acidstorm whistles and Thundercracker rushes from indoors, pushing through the bushes Gama had tried to hide behind, thereby catching up to Acidstorm.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Gama, I thought we talked about this?”  
Gama: (Hissing) “How did you find me?!”  
Thundercracker: “We followed the leakage of your Jellergon discharge.”  
  
 _Thundercracker tries to get closer to Gama, but Gama instantly lashes out at him bearing his fangs, roaring ferociously.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Panicked) “Fuck…oh fuck…this is bad…what do we do?”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “We move him! NOW.”  
Acidstorm: (Panicked) “He’s already dug a birthing pit, he won’t move willingly…you saw what he felt like doing just by you getting that bit too close.”  
Thundercracker: “I’ve not been handling him through his pregnancy; he doesn’t trust me like he does with you; so YOU move him.”  
Acidstorm: (Frantic) “T-that’s suicide Thundercracker!! I mean…I could get close but…I’d never be able to touch him!”  
  
 _Gama pants faster and tightly shuts his eye, before arching his back and crying in pain.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Stern) “Do it, he needs to birth in a clean environment…look at how much pain he’s in.”  
  
 _Acidstorm looks to Gama and swallows nervously, before approaching him carefully; Gama looks up at him, panting violently, but does not move or show any signs of hostility. Acidstorm reaches out and gently places his hand onto Gama’s swollen belly and slowly gets close enough to examine him fully, feeling more relaxed now that Gama was not concerned._ _  
  
_Thundercracker: “See? He trusts you.”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “He trusts me to touch, but moving him and handling his eggs…still suicide.”  
Thundercracker: “We have to try. Now I’ll try carrying his back; that way he shouldn’t feel that threatened by my presence, since I’m further away from his belly.”  
  
 _Thundercracker takes a few steps closer to Gama, who growls deeply showing he’d rather not be touched by him; but as Thundercracker and Acidstorm lifted him in unison, Gama screamed in agony and stopped struggling, allowing him to be carried to the clinic with no resistance.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Strained) “Ghg! A-Acidstorm…are these spines on his back normal??”  
Acidstorm: (Panting) “I never noticed them before…I’ll look later…we have more pressing matters to deal with!” _  
  
The Seekers place Gama within a birthing chair, with Acidstorm clamping his legs in place to prevent him resisting the delivery process, but Gama continuously unclamps them since his arms were free.  
Thundercracker rushes to Gama and tries to bind his arms to stop him releasing his legs, when Gama lashes out at him once again for getting that bit too close. Acidstorm grabs a black towel and covers Gama’s eye, instantly causing him to calm down enough for Thundercracker to clamp his legs and bind his arms.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Panting) “Shit…that was scary…”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “You’ve seen nothing yet; wait till he starts wanting to defend the eggs from us.”  
Thundercracker: “For added security, keep his sight covered.”  
  
 _Acidstorm nods and forces Thundercracker to hold the towel over Gama’s eye, before moving to between Gama’s legs; Acidstorm places the nesting tub below Gama’s tailpipe, replicating the birthing pit, but Gama wasn’t pushing his eggs out.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Let me guess…refusing to cooperate?”  
Acidstorm: “You bet…keep him calm whilst I try to force the eggs to begin channelling out.”  
Thundercracker: (Muttering) “You make it sound easy…”  
Acidstorm: “Oh and Thundercracker; keep your hands away from his mouth, he might bite and once he gets a firm bite you might lose your hand.”  
Thundercracker: (Shocked) “Wha?!”  
  
 _Acidstorm crouches down between Gama’s legs, and slowly forces his hands into his tightly-shut tailpipe. Gama roars and begins squirming angrily, with Thundercracker being careful not to let Gama’s very large and sharp teeth get near his hands.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Stern) “Push Gama; take steady, deep breaths and PUSH.” _  
  
Gama stops attempting to resist and pants heavily as Acidstorm slowly forced out the first egg, triggering the others to begin rolling out of their ‘mother’ and into the birthing tub. Gama squirms violently again as some eggs were too large to casually roll out, and Acidstorm had to force them out with his hands, causing Gama great discomfort.  
Once every egg was out; Acidstorm pulled out the remains of the Jellergon (the placenta) and places it into the tub. Although his burden was lifted, Gama was still panting heavily.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Quietly) “Okay Thundercracker, step away from him slowly and take off the blindfold.”  
 _  
Thundercracker does as instructed, allowing Acidstorm to approach him with caution to examine him.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Concerned) “He’s had a system overload…a seizure of some kind…”  
  
 _Acidstorm pulls out a syringe-like device before injecting it into Gama’s neck, bringing him out of the trance. Gama looks up at Acidstorm for a brief moment, before bearing his fangs and roaring at him, struggling to get free of the binds. Acidstorm backs away and grasps the tub of eggs, covering them over with a towel to hide them, as it became obvious Gama’s struggling would put strain on his binds thereby guaranteeing he’d free himself.  
Not too long after the struggling, Gama breaks free and locks his sights on Acidstorm, who was still holding the covered tub of eggs.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Quietly/Panicked) “No sudden movements.”  
  
 _Gama snarls at Acidstorm and stalks forward, ignoring Thundercracker._  
  
Thundercracker: (Quietly/Annoyed) “He doesn’t care about me, it’s you he’s watching; you have his eggs.”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly/Whimpering) “I hoped he’d have formed a trust with me…”  
Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Well when we told him he couldn’t raise the young, what did you expect??”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly/Nervous) “I said he couldn’t raise them as Sparklings; but he HAS to nurse the eggs or they’ll never hatch.”  
Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Then why are you still carrying them?! Put them on the floor and back away!”  
  
 _Acidstorm slouches, slowly placing the tub on the floor whilst keeping his eyes locked onto Gama’s single burning red eye. Gama once again snarled fiercely as Acidstorm finally placed the tub down, as if telling him to back away. Acidstorm raises his hands and slowly steps back, with Thundercracker doing the same. Once they were far away enough, Gama approaches the tub and uncovers the eggs before shuffling his hands through them, sniffing quickly as he searched.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “…what is he doing?”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “Counting and sniffing out any uh…’dead’ or severely damaged young.” _  
  
Gama tosses out two eggs before climbing onto the tub and covering the remaining eggs with his body. Acidstorm slowly approaches.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “…Gama? Do you feel any better?”  
  
 _Gama clings to the tub and bears his fangs at Acidstorm again, before scooting his vision around franticly.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Looks like he won’t let us anywhere near them.”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “That’s a relief, and here I thought he’d be a bad nurse.”  
 _  
Gama glares coldly at the Seekers.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “I want to relocate.”  
Acidstorm: (Shrugging) “Sorry, no can do Gama. We need to keep them in a safe and secure environment.”  
Gama: (Growling) “They’re safe with me.”  
Thundercracker: “But you have to leave them to tend to your own needs, and without the ‘father’ being around they’ll be left exposed.”  
Acidstorm: (Softly) “And we know you’d do anything to protect them, even killing anyone who dares try to touch them, which is why we’d rather not run that risk in you relocating.”  
Gama: (Angry) “It’s my right to relocate!! I’m the parent!”  
Acidstorm: “Gama, no, we already---”  
  
 _Gama roars and erects his threat crest, forcing his helmet into flying off. He raises his body, leaving slight visibility of the mound of eggs beneath him, indicating he was ready to attack.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “So erm…where did you have in mind?”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “You lightweight, Acid.”  
  
 _Gama lowers his crest and himself back onto the eggs, with the crest changing colour from Threat to Neutral.  
  
_ Gama: “My room.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “E-Eclipse lives there too…he’s a potential target for you to…”  
  
 _Gama slowly raises his crest again in silence.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “N-never mind! We can move him!”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Where’d your ball-bearings go Acidstorm??”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “He is seriously dangerous, or did you forget?”  
Thundercracker: “It took me a while to realise this, but he’s harmless; all he does is threaten these days without doing anything.”  
  
 _Acidstorm tries to stop Thundercracker from getting too close, but as soon as he got within arm’s reach, Gama sprung from his nesting position and onto Thundercracker; pinning him onto the floor, bearing his fangs at him with his crest spread out in Threat display. Gama did nothing but breath heavily on Thundercracker, until he saw the Seeker hint movement of retaliation, whereby he grasped onto Thundercrackers throat and attempted to choke him.  
Acidstorm rushes to the now exposed tub of eggs and grabs one of them, before rushing behind the tub to ensure he had something between himself and Gama; Acidstorm pats on the tub with his free hand and waves the egg at Gama, who turns to see what was going on; the instant he sees his egg in another’s hand, his crest burns with a fiery red glow and he turns on Acidstorm, thereby releasing Thundercracker.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Panicked) “That’s it Gama…over here! What have I got? (In Thought) I’m going to die…I’m such an idiot…”  
  
 _Gama crouches onto all fours and stalks around the tub of young, locking his sights on Acidstorm who refuses to let Gama get close to him. Gama leaps over the tub of young and cuts Acidstorm off, ready to pounce as he did with Thundercracker, but he continues to just deliver threats.  
  
_ Gama: (Rasping) “Put it back!!”  
  
 _Acidstorm panics but keeps the egg securely in his hands.  
  
_ Gama: (Shouting) “PUT IT BACK!”  
  
 _Acidstorm backs towards the exit door, which leads to the patient waiting room of the clinic, refusing to take his eyes off Gama. Thundercracker recovers and tries to get close once more, before accidently hitting the tub of eggs with one of his feet; Gama turns on him quickly, granting Acidstorm a brief moment to open the door and step outside with the egg in hand.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Calling/Nervous) “Gama! Over here! I’ve still got one!”  
Thundercracker: (Shouting) “What are you doing?! He’ll rip out your Spark shell!!”  
Acidstorm: (Calling) “Just trust and follow me!”  
  
 _Acidstorm runs out of the clinic with the egg, with Gama in hot pursuit. Thundercracker glances down at the tub of eggs before picking it up and following close behind.  
Gama pursues Acidstorm out of the medical block and out of the main campus building to the dormitories; Acidstorm rushes to Gama’s room and places the egg onto his bed.  
  
_ Eclipse: (Panicked) “H-hey! Get that thing out of here! I don’t want anything to do with a mate squabble!”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Eclipse…don’t move…”  
Eclipse: (Angry) “Heck no! Get that egg out of here!”  
 _  
Eclipse budges on his bed until catching sight of Gama in the doorway, furious and flashing the most threatening colours and fangs. Acidstorm waves Eclipse to come to him before backing to the window; literally pinning themselves in a corner.  
_  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “No sudden movements…don’t startle him…”  
  
 _Gama looks to his bed and climbs onto it, stroking the egg before licking it to remove Acidstorms scent. Thundercracker enters the room with the tub of young, but freezes in fear as he catches sight of Gama on the bed.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Quietly) “Thundercracker; put the tub on the floor and back away slowly.”  
  
 _Thundercracker nods and does as instructed, with Gama returning the stray egg to the tub and hauling it closer to his bed; climbing over the eggs to protect them again.  
Acidstorm sighs and rubs his head, patting Eclipse to slowly leave the room as Gama watched them with a sharp glare.  
_  
Gama: (Coldly) “Acidstorm; you stay.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Erm...but I…I…”  
  
 _Gama looks to the door, seeing a small crowd of Cybertronians and humans looking inside. He growls deeply before kicking his back leg to slam the door shut, leaving himself and Acidstorm with the eggs. Gama’s crest lowers to a relaxed state and turns a pale pink in colour as he turns to look back at Acidstorm, who was trembling.  
  
_ Gama: “I know you’d never harm them.”  
  
 _Gama removes himself from the eggs and sits beside the tub, gently patting the side of it and eyeing Acidstorm that he could get closer. Acidstorm takes a step forward, but moves no closer.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “It’s alright; it’s just you…nobody else but you and I will touch them.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “B-but when I…you tried to…”  
Gama: (Quietly) “…I had to get rid of Thundercracker; unlike you, I don’t trust him.”  
  
 _Gama nods to the pile of eggs again, and watches carefully as Acidstorm got within reach of the tub and looked inside.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “Go ahead; touch them.”  
  
 _Acidstorm rubs his hands together, before immediately backing away.  
  
_ Gama: (Coldly) “You don’t trust me?”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “I do…it’s just…I know your breed…”  
  
 _Gama stands up from the bed and turns to face the wall, his hands on his head and his back turned.  
  
_ Gama: “Now you can?”  
  
 _Gama sneaks a look over his shoulder, watching carefully what Acidstorm would do.  
 Acidstorm picked out his monocle and a single egg, before examining it with care.  
  
_ Gama: “…well?”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “It’s as I feared…the inbreeding has resulted in weaker Shells, making them more fragile.”  
Gama: “Oh.”  
Acidstorm: (In Thought) “This is bad, I shouldn’t have told him…he’ll want to destroy them all now I’ve branded them as weak.”  
Gama: (Concerned) “….is there anything I can do to perk them up?”  
Acidstorm: (Startled)“Huh?!”  
 _  
Gama turns around and approaches the tub again, with Acidstorm backing away.  
  
_ Gama: (Sighing) “Don’t cower; I need your help to protect these things so it’s not worth me hurting you anyway.”  
 _  
Gama yanks Acidstorm back to the tub.  
  
_ Gama: “Is there nothing I can do to make the shells stronger?”  
Acidstorm: (Blushing) “Um…well…you could put them in sunlight for a few hours a day…that should speed up the growth process.”  
Gama: (Stern) “As I am not female, I lack the correct instinctive programming to ‘brood’ these eggs. I require some information.”  
Acidstorm: (Smiling) “You knew what to do right away as soon as they came out; lay on them, keep them warm and protected and ensure they’re clean and well stocked on Energon.”  
Gama: “No, no, no…I meant other than laying on them.”  
Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “Seriously, that’s all there is to it; nest on them anytime you want but don’t sleep on them, the weaker shells mean they might crack if you toss and turn in your sleep, and just treat them like any newborn child.”  
Gama: (Meekly) “…even talking to them?”  
  
 _Acidstorm nods as he gently places the egg he examined back into the pile of others; Gama grasps his hand as he pulls back from the tub, startling him, until feeling Gama take his hand gently in both of his own.  
  
_ Gama: “…you don’t know how much this means to me, Acidstorm. I don’t want to be robbed of being a parent.”  
  
 _Acidstorm sighs before patting Gama on the arm.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Quietly) “You’ll be brooding the eggs for three months, then Thundercracker will be taking them from you before they hatch…I’m sorry, Gama…I can’t do anything about this.”  
  
 _Acidstorm trails free from Gama, before leaving the room in silence. Gama turns and looks down at the pile of eggs, his crest twitching at the sight of them, before climbing onto them and nestling them underneath his body.  
  
_ Gama: (Whispering) “…um…hey kids…it’s your dad…er…mom…”  
  
 _Gama bolts his attention up to the door as he heard a thump outside, before looking back at the tub below him with a soft smile as he felt them move around.  
  
_ Gama: (Whispering) “My sons…my daughters…if you can hear me…you are the physical evidence of the love I shared with him…you’re more important to me than anything else in the universe…” _  
  
Gama closes his optic and purrs gently, relaxing on the eggs, as if taking a small nap on them.  
  
Gama’s routine quickly shifted now that he had eggs to look after; he’d nest on them for four hours each morning, go to class, rush back to nest on them for half an hour, go to his next class, rush to recharge outside, nest for half an hour again, go to his final class for the day and then return home to nest until bedtime. This routine became exhausting; especially since he had to squeeze in that little extra time to see Acidstorm for check-ups. Gathering ores and the like, to feed himself, was also a frequent task as recharging in the sun didn’t give him everything his body needed to keep healthy; Gama had to visit the mineral storage to get his ore, which lies on the other side of the campus.  
His eggs needed to be kept clean too. Gama would need to clean them three times a week with both water and his own saliva to prevent disease (such as Premature Shell Decay.)  
Eclipse was moved into a new room, granting Gama the needed privacy to brood his eggs alone without fear of them being touched by anyone but him and Acidstorm. However, on the odd occasion Gama had to deal with a second visitor to his room that he’d rather not see; Thundercracker.  
Thundercracker was always appearing unexpectedly with Acidstorm; one week it would just be Acidstorm checking the eggs, the next Thundercracker would show up with him, then two weeks of no visiting at all and then BAM they’d both show up again. Every time Thundercracker tried to get a single touch of an egg, Gama was quick to ensure his eggs remained ‘Thundercracker-free’.  
Just to be on the safe side, Gama would hide his eggs in a different spot and count how many he had before and after each visit; Thundercracker never knew where the eggs would end up next, and that made Gama feel that little bit more secure.  
As his eggs grew larger, Gama also began to physically change; his once totally smooth back was now covered in spikes, his vibrant purple and orange colours were beginning to fade, but one change everyone around him became afraid of was the amount of ‘bulk’ he was displaying. He was once a sleek, agile looking Decepticon like all his siblings…but now things were different; he was large, spiked and overall frightening to look at for too long. Thundercracker at one point even slipped out an accidental ‘Megatron’ as he addressed Gama, signifying that the resemblance gap between his father and himself was now much smaller; he was behaving like, and now was even starting to look like, his father.   
Each passing day Gama refused to speak to anyone other than his two mentors, going so far as to even refuse answering his teachers questions in any form other than on paper. Gama exhibited signs of deep thoughts of sadness, bordering on depression, according to his teachers; and Acidstorm was always watching how Gama looked and how he was ‘looking’ at others thanks to this little bit of information.  
Today was no exception; Thundercracker and Acidstorm were visiting again, and as usual Acidstorm would be keeping his eyes open for any changes in Gama’s temperament and exterior health. The duo had just entered the dormitory building, making their way to Gama’s room now.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “So he didn’t even make eye-contact with Wheeljack?”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “Not once…”  
Thundercracker: (Muttering) “That worries me.”  
Acidstorm: “Wheeljack was concerned over it too; getting the top score in the class you’d think Gama would be overjoyed, but to look away the way he did…I’m sensing something is bothering him.”  
  
 _Thundercracker stops walking and spreads out his arm, stopping Acidstorm from walking any further._  
  
Thundercracker: (Whispering) “Talk about it with him today if possible, it might keep him distracted.”  
Acidstorm: (Whispering) “…you’re taking them today? Seriously?”  
Thundercracker: (Whispering) “That’s right…do you object?”  
Acidstorm: (Whispering) “I want to, but I know it…needs to be done eventually…”  
  
 _Thundercracker begins walking again.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Good.”  
  
 _Acidstorm rushes to catch up.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “He’s not going to like this.”  
Thundercracker: “I know.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Worst-case scenario, he might kill us both.”  
Thundercracker: “I know.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “J-just…keep your hands to yourself until I get him comfortable…alright?”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Acidstorm; I know what I’m doing. Now be quiet.” _  
  
Thundercracker and Acidstorm stop outside of Gama’s door. Inside; Gama is sat in the booth beside the window, where him and Eclipse use to drink Energon whilst reading their notes. Right now however he was sat alone, reading the newspaper and drinking Energon from a glass alone. The front of the paper clearly displays ‘Mysterious Decepticon Sighted on Cybertron’, which Gama may be currently reading about.  
Gama groans as he hears a knock at the door.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (VO) “Gama, come on…open the door please.”  
Gama: (Calling) “No, Acidstorm.”  
Acidstorm: (VO) “Please Gama we need to check on the eggs development.”  
  
 _Gama groans again and gets out of his seat, accidently ripping off some of the chair as he got up, before opening the door tiredly. Acidstorm bows and enters the room, followed by Thundercracker whom Gama glares coldly at.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Well, where are they Gama?”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Somewhere you can’t find them.”  
Acidstorm: (VO) “W-what happened to your chair?!”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “The spines down my back keep getting stuck inside the seat and always rips them apart when I stand up.”  
Acidstorm: (VO) “Why did you stuff the eggs into it?”  
 _  
Gama growls as Thundercracker smirks, pushing past Gama to get closer to the eggs only for Gama to quickly bolt past and sit in the seat he’d stuffed the eggs into. Acidstorm slips and crashes into the table, before clumsily taking a seat opposite Gama.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “So Gama…let’s see them…”  
Gama: (Coldly) “No.”  
Acidstorm: (Whining) “Awww…come on Gama.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I was reading the paper, enjoying my Energon whilst brooding my young in peace…you think you can just waltz in here, disturb me, then ask to see them all? You didn’t even call me today in advance or---”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Err…just one then?”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself before reaching under his rear, and pulling out one of the eggs which he places on the table. Out of the corner of his eye, Gama sees Thundercracker eyeing the egg and watches him carefully as Acidstorm takes it to inspect it.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Surprised) “Wow Gama, this is impressive! How did you make them grow to this size exactly?”  
 _  
Gama chuckles before looking very cautiously at Thundercracker, who had shuffled himself a bit closer to where he was sat. Thundercracker coughs and nods at Acidstorm, who returns the egg to Gama; once the egg was back in his possession, Gama slipped it under his rear again with the others.  
  
_ Gama: “I dowsed them in fresh Energon twice a week, my own Energon.”  
Acidstorm: (Excited) “No way! You’ve started making Energon that rich?! This is amazing!”  
Gama: (Blushing) “I don’t know…the babies just seem to like it is all…”  
Acidstorm: (Excited) “Two fresh Energon baths a week; at least eight baths a month, over three months totals twenty four Energon baths which accumulates to over thirty gallons of fresh Energon being used! You’re output ratio has tripled since you gave birth, and the refining stage of your Energon processing must have accelerated, right?”  
Gama: (Blushing) “Y-yes it has…to four hours.”  
  
 _Acidstorm slips out of his seat in amazement.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Shocked) “F-four HOURS per GALLON?!” _  
  
Gama nods meekly, before reaching to a large Energon cube on the table; pouring out three glasses of Energon and handing one to Acidstorm as he gets back into his seat and then one to Thundercracker.  
  
_ Gama: “This is some of the leftover Energon from this week I made, try it if you want.”  
  
 _Acidstorm sips the Energon at first, washing it around and tasting it in his mouth, before swallowing it and licking his lips. He looks at the glass in amazement before looking back at Gama._  
  
Acidstorm: (Excited) “P-primus, this is truly something!! This will be fantastic in the research!”  
 _  
Gama flat-brows and glares at Acidstorm, not noticing Thundercracker steadily sneaking his hand down to where the eggs are nestled below him.  
  
_ Gama: (Suspecting) “What research?”  
  
 _Acidstorm slaps his hands across his mouth and sweats, before waving his hands at Gama nervously.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Um…I was doing a private study on male pregnancy…”  
  
 _Gama growls.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “B-but I didn’t use your name or anything to identify you as the parent! It’s totally anonymous!”  
Gama: (Stern) “Good.”  
  
 _Gama flinches as he feels something touch his back and he snarls angrily, forcing his spines out again causing Thundercracker to retreat his hand from behind Gama. Gama turns and focuses his watch on him, not removing him from his sight as Thundercracker moves to Acidstorm and began whispering to him, both of them sipping on the Energon Gama gave to them. Gama turns to look away and out the window, shifting his gaze to them every few seconds to ensure Thundercracker didn’t try to steal the eggs from under him again.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Whispering) “Acidstorm…about those spines…”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “It seems Gama is far more advanced a Leader Class than his father ever was…the stab wound he obtained through the chest triggered an ‘evolution’ in him somehow; the spines are there to stop anyone daring to attack him from behind.”  
Thundercracker: (Whispering) “I see; prevents a ‘traitor backstabbing him’.”  
Acidstorm: (Whispering) “This will also stop males mounting him.”  
  
 _Thundercracker spits out his Energon in surprise as Gama turns to look back at them, shifting in his seat as the spines made sitting down uncomfortable.  
  
_ Gama: (Bluntly) “Is something bothering you two?”  
Thundercracker: (Nervous) “N-nope…just err…get comfortable.”  
  
 _Gama groans and shifts in his seat again.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Whispering) “He’s got spikes on his knuckles, arms, legs, hose and now his back. He has to be the pointiest thing I’ve ever seen…but he’s magnificent.”  
Thundercracker: (Whispering) “Makes for a very high protection, I’ll give him that. But how can we expect him to relax if he can’t even get comfortable? If he’s relaxed he might doze off, and that means I can get to those eggs without being hit.”  
Acidstorm: (Whispering) “Give me a moment.”  
  
 _Acidstorm gets up and approaches Gama, before carefully placing his hands on each side of Gama where the neck meets the shoulder. Gama twitches as he feels Acidstorm grip him, until purring as he began massaging him.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “Just relax, Gama…ease your limbs and the spikes will retract a bit.”  
  
 _Gama moans quietly before slowly moving down into the seat as his spines steadily pulled back. Thundercracker nods to Acidstorm; who applies one slight pinch of pressure to the joint between the shoulder and the neck causing Gama to pass out, his face landing with a heavy SLAM against the table.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “And they said Star trek teaches you nothing!”  
Thundercracker: “Right, get him away from the nest so I can gather the eggs up.”  
  
 _Acidstorm lifts Gama and places him aside, granting Thundercracker the space he needed to begin placing the eggs from the chair-nest into a dark container (to prevent sunlight speeding up hatching process). Once all the eggs were in the container, Thundercracker prepared the young for transportation.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “I’m leaving right away; I don’t want him to know where I’m taking them.”  
Acidstorm: “Understood, be sure to mask your flight trail; he’s sure to try and follow it to find you.”  
  
 _Thundercracker nods before rushing outside and transforming, before bolting into the sky and into the distance. Seconds after his departure, Acidstorm attempts lifting Gama to rest on his bed again, and decides to stay beside him until he wakes back up.  
Half an hour later, Gama awakened and his spines erected, narrowly avoiding impaling Acidstorm who was sat that bit too close to him.  
  
_ Gama: (Shocked) “A-Acidstorm?! W-what happened?!”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Erm…”  
Gama: (Growling) “He took them…didn’t he?”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Oh Primus…Gama…remain calm; the young are safe.”  
Gama: (Snarling) “You tricked me…you fucking TRICKED me!”  
 _  
Gama snarls and pushes past Acidstorm and outside, sniffing the air for Thundercrackers vapour trails; he smells nothing, and cannot tell which way he had gone. Gama kneels onto the floor before smacking his fist to the ground in rage.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “I was such an idiot to let my guard down with HIM around!! SUCH AN IDIOT!”  
  
 _Gama fights his urge to cry and stands up, breathing heavily to regain his composure. Once at ease, he returns inside and sits in his damaged chair once again in silence, with Acidstorm nervously standing nearby rubbing his arms.  
_  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “…Gama…it’s alright…you can let it out.”  
  
 _Gama says nothing, with Acidstorm looking around more nervously than before. Once Acidstorm began to try speaking again, Gama was quick to speak instead._  
  
Gama: (Quietly) “There’s nothing to ‘let out’…they’re gone now…they’ll be safe with their new parents.”  
Acidstorm: (Softly) “I can sense you want to release your anger, don’t bottle it up…you can shout at me if you want to.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “…they were all females anyway.”  
Acidstorm: (Blinking) “H-how did you know before they could…”  
Gama: “Taste…scent…when I cleaned them, I tasted female chemicals. I smelt them, and got the same thing.”  
Acidstorm: (Muttering) “Crasher seems to be very good at producing females…all but one of his offspring so far has been female.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “I never really expected to get a son from this unity, he would never have been strong enough to survive anyway. Part of me is glad they’re gone.”  
Acidstorm: “…Gama…”  
Gama: (Sniffling) “I…I’m fine…I don’t need…to…to…”  
  
 _Gama wraps his arms around himself and arches forwards, before bursting into tears. Acidstorm stands closer beside him and pats his shoulder, sighing heavily as he tried to ease Gama’s crying.  
_  
Acidstorm: (Brotherly) “Gama…it’s alright, I’m here for you…do whatever you want to me, say what you like to me, I’ll take it all if it will make you feel any better.”  
 _  
Gama sniffles and fights to stop his crying, looking up at Acidstorm and growling angrily. Acidstorm trembles as Gama’s glare focuses even more and he fully stops crying. Gama pushes Acidstorm away from him and stands up, brushing himself off.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “My course is finished, my eggs are gone…am I free to go?”  
  
 _Acidstorm looks to his feet and nods.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “Very well…there’s one thing I want to do before I go, however.” _  
  
Acidstorm trembles as Gama approaches and refuses to make eye-contact in fear of what he was expecting to happen to him; but Gama didn’t strike him. Gama simply pulls Acidstorm into a hug, before spreading his legs and pushing Acidstorms hand between them.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “Make me smile, Acidstorm.”  
  
 _Acidstorm looks up at Gama and blinks, feeling Gama motion him to stroke his tailpipe. Acidstorm blushes as he gropes Gama’s crotch-plate, feeling his tailpipe tense in anticipation. Gama purrs and closes his eye as he feels Acidstorm poke his finger into his tailpipe and begin pushing it in and out.  
  
_ Gama: (Purring) “Go for the soft spot, Acidstorm; like last time.” _  
  
Gama moans softly as Acidstorm does as instructed, before groaning in annoyance as he retreated his finger from invading his port.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Blushing) “G-Gama…I…I’d rather…um…”  
  
 _Gama narrows his eye and purrs at Acidstorm, before pinning him to the floor.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Blushing) “I…I…uhh…Gama I don’t think we should…”  
Gama: (Purring) “I let you taste my Energon, now let me taste YOU.”  
  
 _Gama turns and stares behind him at Acidstorms crotch, before looking back at his face and purring, whilst flashing a smirk at the Seeker. Acidstorm gasps as Gama rotates himself, placing his head over his crotch. Gama seductively licks at his preys crotch, slipping his tongue into the small slit keeping Acidstorms hose hidden from him.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Blushing) “G-Gama…w-why do you want to do this?”  
  
 _Gama purrs and stops licking.  
  
_ Gama: (Purring) “Because I can; I’m not partnered, and can do what I want to whomever I want.”  
 _  
Gama returns to licking, deeply sucking at the still closed V-port doors until eventually forcing out the tip of Acidstorms hose. Acidstorm blushes as he feels Gama lick over the surface of what was sticking out, until catching sight of Gama’s very vulnerable tailpipe/port.  
As Gama continues trying to get more of Acidstorms piece out, his prey lifted himself up and quickly wrapped his arms under Gama’s legs, keeping them apart and him securely in place; Acidstorm deviously blows a kiss at Gama, who turns to see what was happening, before Acidstorm aggressively begins licking at his tailpipe. Gama clings to the ground and tries to squirm free, but Acidstorm kept a firm hold on his legs. Acidstorm purrs as Gama’s tailpipe relaxed and opened up slightly, with him smirking and pulling away from licking it anymore.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Purring) “Looks like someone wants to interface.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “W-what are you talking about?!”  
Acidstorm: (Slyly) “I’ve read your body’s messages, Gama; it wants you to interface...fuse, fuck, mate, whatever…and I’ll gladly fulfil its request.”  
  
 _Gama yelps in surprise as Acidstorm slides from under him athletically, quickly grasping onto Gama’s protruding spines to mount him without getting impaled. Within a few seconds, Gama went from being on top to being on bottom.  
Acidstorm slips a chuckle as he pokes Gama’s waiting tailpipe with the small tip of his hose, pleased to hear Gama hum in approval.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Slyly) “Oh? You’re not going to shake me off? Because I can’t get a secure hold on you so it should be very easy for you to get me off.”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “I’ll shake you off when I’ve had enough.”  
Acidstorm: (Purring) “Once you try Acid, you can never have enough.”  
 _  
Gama purrs as Acidstorm keeps only the tip exposed and thrusts, teasing Gama who was curious by what Acidstorm had just implied.  
  
_ Gama: (Smirking) “Right now it feels like nothing special; does it even fit?”  
Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “It’s not all out yet, I’m testing you.”  
Gama: (Slyly) “Fuck the test, just put it all in; I say it won’t fit as well as your fingers.”  
 _  
Acidstorm smirks before fully ejecting his hose into Gama’s tailpipe, who gasps at the entry.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Purring) “A little tight, but it fits just fine.”  
  
 _Gama pants as Acidstorm gently thrusts, before moaning as he picks up his pace. Gama groans as his tailpipe began to loosen and moisten, as if it was begging Acidstorm to go deeper.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Smirking) “Someone likes to be fucked deeply too… hehe.” _  
  
Gama shivers as Acidstorm digs deeper, lowering his chest to rest on the floor whilst panting and moaning. Acidstorm licks his lips and adjusts his position repeatedly as if uncomfortable or trying to find something.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Whispering) “Enjoying my rod, hmm? Once I find your G-spot I’ll have you begging me to go harder.”  
Gama: *Moaning excessively*  
Acidstorm: (Teasing) “Awww, you’re just adorable like this Gama…I don’t know if I’ll ever want to stop.”  
  
 _Acidstorm wiggles inside Gama, purring once he feels his port spasm and force out a sharp moan from the interaction. Acidstorm blushes upon Gama’s port tightening on his hose, and chuckles as he feels it contract and retract on it._  
  
Acidstorm: (Purring) “You want me to fill your pot with my honey then, hm?”  
Gama: (Moaning) “ugh..h-harder…”  
Acidstorm: (Whispering) “You’re starting to suck at it, Gama. I know your body wants to carry again but I’m not filling it up with my spawn, so once I’m close I’ll need to dismount.”  
  
 _Gama pants and moans sharply as Acidstorm continued to stimulate his G-spot, with Gama’s hose slowly seeking an exit from its own hiding spot caused by the orgasm. Acidstorm purrs lovingly as he thrusts harder and harder, forcing moans after moans out of Gama.  
  
_ Gama: (Moaning) “G-gonna---cu---cum—ugh!!”  
  
 _Gama’s hose suddenly exposes itself from behind its v-port doors and immediately ejects his Solder onto the floor, causing his tailpipe to tighten even more. Acidstorm groans as once again Gama’s port began ‘sucking’ on his hose, and he forces himself free from him. Gama pants excessively on the floor before groaning in annoyance that Acidstorm had stopped.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Blushing) “Well now…that was er…very fun.”  
Gama: (Panting) “I didn’t tell you to stop.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “I…I was close to ejecting into you Gama…I didn’t want to cause a pregnancy.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Put on a cap then and mount me again.”  
Acidstorm: (Blushing/Nervous) “Um…I…I’d love to do that again but I really need to go…”  
  
 _Gama rolls his eye and spreads his legs further apart, raising his backside up so Acidstorm can clearly see his tailpipe. He smirks deviously as he observed Acidstorm fidgeting with his fingers, obviously still interested in mounting him, but he resists.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Gama, no…”  
 _  
Gama groans and reaches behind himself, using his hands to open up his tailpipe that little bit more.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Stern) “No.”  
Gama: (Whining) “Oh come on, why?!”  
Acidstorm: “You want me to mount you for fun, but your body wants you to carry again so I cannot mount.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Stick something else in there then.”  
  
 _Acidstorm sighs and folds his arms, looking around nervously as Gama maintained his gaze on him. He sighs in defeat and approaches Gama once more, who smirks in delight and looks away again to wait and see/feel what would happen next.  
Acidstorm kneels down by Gama’s tailpipe before kissing it, slipping his tongue deep into the opening forcing Gama to release his grasp on keeping it as wide open as possible in order to cling to the floor and begin panting. Whilst Acidstorm continued to caress Gama’s inner tunnel with his tongue, he began searching his storage compartments for something until finally locating a tiny tracking device.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (In Thought) “Alright…up the port it goes then…you gave me the option.”  
  
 _Acidstorm retreats his mouth from the tailpipe and clips the tracking device to his finger, before poking it deep into Gama’s tailpipe and up into his port. Gama shivers from the entry and whimpers as Acidstorm wiggles his finger inside, trying to hook the tracking device onto a part of the port where it wouldn’t come loose from an orgasm.  
  
_ Gama: (Softly) “A-Acidstorm…”  
Acidstorm: “Hm? What is it Gama?”  
Gama: (Blushing) “N-nothing…”  
  
 _Acidstorm sighs as he finally hooks the device somewhere secure, and continues wiggling his finger inside the port to find Gama’s G-spot again. Once he’d found it he began rubbing it quickly, triggering Gama to have multiple violent orgasms, until checking to feel if the tracking device was still where it should be.  
  
_ Gama: (Moaning) “T-touch me like that again…”  
Acidstorm: (In Thought) “Wow even after multiple orgasms it’s still there, I should make a note of that spot.”  
Gama: (Moaning) “Acidstorm…touch me there again…please…”  
  
 _Acidstorm sighs and smiles, before rubbing Gama’s G-spot again. Gama grasps onto his still exposed hose and begins fraging-off, moaning excessively.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (In Thought) “Holy shit…is he seriously fraging-off? “  
Gama: (Moaning) “C-c….”  
Acidstorm: (In Thought) “…don’t tell me he’s going to eject AGAIN…”  
Gama: (Moaning) “C-crasher…”  
  
 _Acidstorm stops rubbing at Gama’s G-spot and kneels in silence, staring at Gama’s back before leaning to see his face; he was crying, his eye tightly shut and was blushing from the orgasm he’d just had.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (In Thought) “He still misses him? Maybe…maybe he really did love Crasher? If that’s the case then this would mean…he used me.”  
  
 _Acidstorm sighs and removes his finger from Gama’s tailpipe, before walking into the washroom and blasting himself with the showering hose; Gama remains on the floor, fraging-off and moaning violently.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Calling) “Gama, I’ve got work to do now so I need to leave.”  
  
 _Gama stops fraging-off and turns to stare at Acidstorm, still lying on the floor.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Stern) “If you need me for anything other than to be your substitute for Crasher, then call me.”  
 _  
Gama lowers his head in shame and retracts his hose, before getting up and nodding.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “I’m sorry, Acidstorm…”  
Acidstorm: “You need to find a Life Mate, Gama, and soon.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I’ll find one when I’m certain I need it.”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “You need it very soon, Gama…sooner than you might think.”  
  
 _Gama rolls his eye.  
  
_ Gama: “I’m not a breeding unit, I can control my urges.”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “You can, but you already said the eggs you have now are all female. Until you get a male child you’ll get instinctive drives to mount females…and it’ll get to a point where you’d fuck anything that can carry offspring, no matter its species.”  
Gama: (Cringing) “Fuck an organic? I’m not like that Acidstorm, so I won’t ever get that way.”  
Acidstorm: “I hope you’re right.”  
Gama: (Whining) “So I choose the option to not bother looking right now, I have more important things to deal with like finding a place to stay.”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “…it’s not an option, Gama; it’s compulsory. Find a Life Mate SOON, otherwise the next time we see each other, you might be under the knife.” _  
  
Gama cringes and swallows nervously, whilst Acidstorm immediately puts up his happy-go-lucky smile.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Smiling) “So don’t be a stranger; stop on by anytime! Later Gammo!”  
  
 _Acidstorm waves as he leaves the room cheerfully, as Gama looks around the room nervously thinking over what he had just heard.  
  
_


	4. Reunited

 

_After time to gather his thoughts, thinking carefully about what he wanted to do next and more importantly, WHERE, he wanted to do it; Gama headed to Acidstorms clinic for a final chat with the Titron Doctor.  
The clinic was empty, totally deserted, with the lights switched off. Gama approaches Acidstorms office door and tries to open it, but it was locked meaning Acidstorm was not here.  
He approaches the secretary desk and locates the phone, carefully picking it up and dialling for assistance whilst raiding his storage compartments for Acidstorms contact-card. The dial tone ended, with the machine asking Gama to input the number so he can contact Acidstorm directly.  
The phone’s dialling tone continued, and Gama began to suspect Acidstorm wasn’t going to talk to him right away after what just happened between them…and Thundercracker would ignore his calls too, knowing he’d try anything to keep those eggs hidden.  
Gama sighs heavily and puts the phone down, shuffling through the desk drawers to find a pen and paper. He lightly nibbles on the end of the pen as he stares down at the blank piece of paper, before finally scribbling down a message for Acidstorm to read later.  
Once the message was written, Gama raided his storage compartments and began placing items he found inside of them onto the desk next to the message with the exception of a few items he kept for himself, before turning back to the exit and leaving in silence.  
It was several hours later that Acidstorm returned to the clinic alongside his drunken colleagues; it seemed after all those years of Energon Abuse he was finally immune to getting drunk himself. However, no form of inebriation or exhaustion could avert Acidstorms eyes from what he saw lying on the secretary desk.  
He first took observation of the items left out for him; Gama’s old notebooks and writing utensils, a handgun and its ammunition, three small Energon cubes and a newspaper. The message had its addressing crossed out twice, with ‘dear’ and ‘to whom it may concern’ clearly crossed out.  
  
“Acidstorm,  
  
I’d like to first start this message by saying how grateful I am for the service you provided me whilst in pregnancy, and that although I could never think of a way to repay you for it, I have expressed my willingness to change by leaving my weapons behind along with three cubes of my own-made Energon.  
Now onto the real matter of this message; I’m leaving the academy as you know already, but I never told you before where I was planning on going or why. I would much rather have told you face-to-face but…you left before I even got a chance to clear my thoughts enough to tell you, so here it is; I’m going to Cybertron. Why? Well if you look at the remaining items I left behind you should clearly see why.”  
  
Acidstorm stops reading for a moment to look at the remaining two objects, the newspaper and notebook, before continuing his reading.  
  
“Inside the notebook you’ll find a hidden USB stick containing my own personal journal, or also commonly referred to as a diary which may shed light on some things I experienced or did in these past two to three months. I advise you look through the notebook now before looking at the newspaper.”  
  
Acidstorm opens the notebook and finds the USB stick, along with some drawings of an all to recognisably Decepticon; Megatron. He looks through each drawing, with them getting more detailed and accurate with each drawing he saw, before reading the message again.  
  
“No doubt you will have found the drawings I did of my father and myself, providing nobody has touched these items since I left. Now onto the newspaper, I cut out a part of it I needed for my own personal quest, but the majority of the article is still there for you to read.”  
  
Acidstorm looks at the newspaper to see a part of it had indeed been cut out and taken, but the title on the front cover “Mysterious Decepticon sighted on Cybertron” immediately caught his eye; however, the photograph of said Decepticon was part of the cut-out article piece, so Acidstorm couldn’t tell where exactly the sighting was made. He decides to finish reading the message now, in hope that Gama may have left a clue.  
  
“All that time I was with Crasher, I got the feeling inside; where is he? Where had my father gone? What really happened to him? It had bothered me throughout my time here at the academy also, especially as I began to change into what I am now…before I read the article I knew I was going to search for him when I left the academy, but that newspaper gave me a starting point…a form of direction…that I was lacking in. So I’ve taken my ID, some Cybertonium and the needed article pieces to find my father alone. I do not want anyone’s help or to learn I’m being followed. This is MY mission, and I do not want anyone to stop me including YOU.  
So take care, Acidstorm, and give my regards to my mother for all her help in getting through that turbulent time in my life.  
  
Gamatron”_

_Scene fades out on Acidstorm looking at the message in disbelief, before fading in on the Spacebridge terminal on Earth situated in New York.  
Gama is seen in the line of both Cybertronians and Humans waiting to board the Spacebridge, looking at the cut out article of the mysterious Decepticon. He mutters to himself in Decepticon as he and those who were waiting slowly began to enter the Spacebridge, five individuals at a time, being sent to Cybertron and other parts of the Galaxy.  
When it comes to Gama’s turn, a guard stops him.  
  
_ Guard: “Identification.” _  
  
Gama sighs heavily and hands the guard his ID.  
  
_ Guard: “Destination.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “Cybertron.” _  
  
The guard hands Gama his ID back before shuffling him to a separate line, completing a line of five. Gama looks ahead and watches as a group was sent to a different destination, which was displayed above the terminal, watching and waiting for ‘Cybertron’ to appear on the monitor.  
The instant Cybertron appears Gama’s eye lights up and his group enters the terminal; a quick burst of light and noise sends his vision into a blur, as the surroundings of Earth quickly reform into that of Cybertron.  
Once his vision regains itself, Gama sighs as he exits the Spacebridge behind the group of other Cybertronians who travelled with him, again forming another line as a guard was checking ID’s again. Gama whines as he slowly becomes impatient, and tries to leave the line, only to be greeted by Shockwave blocking his path.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Not so fast; display your identification.”  
  
_Gama rolls his eye before handing Shockwave his ID, refusing to look at him._  
  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Gama…now I remember you…”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I wish I didn’t remember you.”  
Shockwave: “What reasons do you have for visiting Cybertron?”  
Gama: (Bitter) “To get away from fucking humans.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “I’m following protocol here; I need to question anyone I deem suspicious…show some respect. Now what is the purpose of your visit?”  
Gama: (Sighing) “To seek residence.”  
Shockwave: “Do you have any documents to confirm that?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “…no.”  
Shockwave: “Then I’m afraid you’ll need to turn around, go back to Earth, and get them.”  
  
_Shockwave returns Gama’s ID. Gama tries to move forwards again, but Shockwave stops him moving on a second time._  
  
Shockwave: (Groaning) “Didn’t you hear me?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I lied, alright? I’m not here for residence; I’m here to conduct an investigation into that ‘mysterious Decepticon’ sighting.”  
Shockwave: “Still need clearance for that, Gama. Before all the Decepticons got captured, you had to get clearance to come to Cybertron from either an Autobot Leader or a High-ranking Titron.”  
  
_Gama growls and tries to move forwards again, but Shockwave pushes him back teasingly._  
  
Shockwave: “Gama, Gama, Gama....”  
Gama: (Snarling) “Let me by or I’ll make you move!”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “No need to bare your fangs at me.”  
Gama: (Angry) “Yes there is; nobody is going to stop me finding out who this Decepticon is! Now move aside!!!”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “For a moment there I mistook you for Megatron with such brutal looks, now if you really want to set foot on Cybertron beyond these doors; display your security clearance.”  
Gama: (Angry) “Suck it, Shockwave; you’re not worthy to lick my boots let alone see my security clearances! And you’ve tested my patience long enough!!”  
  
_Gama rushes forward and tries to get by, but Shockwave quickly punches down Gama.  
  
_ Guard Voice: (Shouting) “Shockwave, if you hit another Cybertronian who refused to show you their clearance you’ll be relieved of duty again!!”  
Shockwave: (Calling) “But sir; its Gama…he’s still a Level 1 Decepticon.”  
Guard Voice: (Shouting) “Hey, Thundercracker said to let the kid go wherever he wants! Let him by!”  
  
_Shockwave mutters to himself as Gama gets up, only to stomp him back down with his foot.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Coldly) “I didn’t say you could go just yet.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “Fuck you, Shockwave!!”  
  
_Gama pushes Shockwaves leg from him and gets up successfully this time and dusts himself off, shooting one sharp glare at Shockwave, and prepares to leave.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “…Gama, wait.” _  
  
Gama stops walking and sighs.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “What is it Shockwave?”  
Shockwave: “Let me see your optics a moment.”  
Gama: (Angry) “And why should I?”  
Shockwave: “…I haven’t seen you in years, and you still give me the angry treatment.”  
Gama: (Angry) “Because you make me angry!”  
  
_Shockwave squints as Gama roars at him, turning around_ _to find Shockwave had moved closer to him. Because he was closer than he wanted him to be, Gama roars again causing Shockwave to move back a little.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “This Autobot oppression…you’ve become SOFT Shockwave.”  
Shockwave: (Pathetically) “…but I…I need to…”  
Gama: (Growling) “The mightiest of Decepticons…reduced to petty Spacebridge duty once more; I bet they don’t even let you operate it!” _  
  
Shockwave looks away briefly, looking very sorry for himself.  
  
_ Gama: (Coldly) “You use to be one of the Galaxy’s best, Shockwave…you where a surgeon, a bodyguard…a scientist and a guardian. What do you do now though, hmm?”  
  
_Gama approaches Shockwave closer, allowing him to see Gama now only had one eye.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Awed) “A single optic…just like me…”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I didn’t do this to impress you, weirdo. Motormaster cut it out…now answer the question; what do you do now?”  
Shockwave: (Pathetically) “…guard duty.”  
  
_Gama bursts out into laughter before putting up a serious face again._  
  
Gama: (Coldly) “My point has been proven, Shockwave. Now please, leave me be.” _  
  
Gama growls as he turns around and leaves the transport area, with Shockwave watching him carefully as he left.  
Gama leaves the sector via subway train to reach Iacon; city of the Autobots, where the mysterious Decepticon was last sighted. Once there, Gama heads into the Stellar Galleries where the photograph of the mysterious Decepticon had been taken.  
He began viewing remnants of the war in the galleries, of old Cybertron, and even of his father. He sighs heavily as he stares at the heavily protected Fusion Cannon that was once his own weapon, handed to him by his father.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “…it wasn’t a mysterious Decepticon…it could have just been some hoax…*sigh*”  
  
_Gama lowers his head and sings to himself quietly in Decepticon, to sooth his loneliness amongst the large crowds of Autobots and Titrons. He feels someone bump into him and he turns around, to see an Autobot couple had accidently walked into him._  
_  
_ Autobot: (Laughing) “Look who it is; the circus must be in town!”  
Fembot: (Laughing) “The last one! It’s hideous!”  
Autobot: (Mocking) “Hey Decepticon! What happened to your daddy? Did he get his ass kicked by a weak Titron? Ahahahaha!!”  
  
_Gama clenches his fists tightly, snarling as he turned his back on the gathering group of Autobots who had come to stare at him.  
  
_ Titron: (Awed) “Wow for a minute there I thought that replica of Megatron had gotten up and walked over here…but this is his kid?”  
Fembot #2: “I know, the resemblance is frightening…someone should call security…”  
Autobot: (Teasing) “Maybe someday you’ll get shot to pieces and join your daddy in this museum! OH WAIT! You’re a failure! Failures don’t make it in here!”  
  
_Gama hisses as he turns to strike the Autobot, only for a heavily cloaked male to stop him from landing a hit.  
  
_ Cybertronian: (Stern) “You all should know better; he’s Cybertronian just like you.”  
Autobot: (Annoyed) “He’s nothing like us! He’s a monster!”  
  
_The group all make sounds of approval.  
  
_ Cybertronian: “Very well then; I’m a ‘monster’ handler anyway, so I’ll take him off your hands. Come along, boy.”  
  
_Gama makes an effort to protest, but is dragged away by the cloaked male out of the galleries and down a dark alleyway.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “T-this grip is tight…why is it so hard to fight back? (Panicked) W-who are you?!”  
  
_The Cybertronian looks at Gama for a second as they continue their trek down the alleyway, until reaching a very shady looking bar. The Cybertronian knocks on the door, with the guard sliding open a viewing vent.  
  
_ Guard: (Annoyed) “What do you want?”  
Gama: (In Thought) “…oh shit no. Don’t tell me this guy is going to…”  
Cybertronian: “Does the term ‘Dark Energon’ ring any bells to you?”  
Guard: (Shocked) “O-oh it’s you! Just a moment!”  
  
_The guard opens the door, before bowing as the Cybertronian dragged Gama inside; the bar was lit with purple lighting and remnants of Decepticon ships where hung across the walls, with ex-Decepticon females (now Titrons) dancing for male Titrons. There was not a single Autobot in sight.  
The Cybertronian approaches a heavily guarded backdoor, whereby he nods to the guards and they step aside granting him and Gama passage.  
Once the door was closed behind them, Gama intensified his struggling until the male yanked him closer to him.  
  
_ Gama: (Snarling) “L-let go of me!!! I ORDER YOU TO—”  
Cybertronian: “Relax, you’re amongst fellow Decepticons.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “I’m the last one! There are no others!!”  
Cybertronian: “…so you’ve forgotten me?”  
Gama: (Angry) “I don’t know you and I don’t want to know you!! I’m alone! ALONE!!”  
Cybertronian: “After all these years, Gama…so many cold and empty years…”  
  
_Gama struggles harder, until feeling the male grasp his other arm and pin him against the wall.  
  
_ Gama: (Shouting) “I don’t want to be used like this!!! I’m not an animal!!”  
Cybertronian: (Stern) “All my training has been wasted…just a few years on your own and you’ve become so…soft…it sickens me, Gama…” _  
_  
_Gama squints his eye shut, afraid of what was going to happen as the male released one of his arms to free his hand. The male tears off his cloak revealing none other than Megatron. Gama had not even looked at him without the cloak yet._  
  
Megatron: (Stern) “Gama; look at me.”  
  
_Gama cowers and refuses to look. Megatron sighs heavily and releases his hold on Gama, who cautiously opens his eye to look at his captor.  
  
_ Gama: (Shocked) “…it…it’s not possible…Y-you were…you became…how did…”  
  
_Gama meekly reaches out and touches his father, before quickly pulling back._  
  
Megatron: “It’s a long story, Gama…it is the reason why I brought you here where it is safe for us to talk.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “Y-you don’t want to…kill me?”  
  
_Megatron places a hand onto Gama’s shoulder, before patting it and leading him down the corridor.  
  
_ Megatron: “You’re all that is left of my legacy; why would I want to destroy that?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “I don’t know…maybe because you’d be pissed at me helping Crasher?”  
Megatron: “Gama, you did what you needed to survive.”  
Gama: (Meekly) “I…I betrayed you though…you disowned me…”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “No talking out here…let’s talk inside.”  
  
_Megatron opens one of the many doors down the corridor, nudging Gama to enter first; the room was lit with dark red lights, with padded seats in front of a dancing pole. The room was currently empty. Megatron obtains a glass of Energon and sits down, looking towards his slightly angry looking son.  
  
_ Megatron: “You wanted information, and now I will give you it; just sit down.”  
Gama: (Stern) “You’re not being very forceful to me, even though I clearly didn’t show you respect.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “You’re the Decepticon Leader now, not me; I made that clear to you when you were younger.”  
Gama: “But you’re not dead.”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “I ‘died’ when madness overtook me, back when I was Galvatron.”  
Gama: (Stern) “Why are you not still Galvatron anyway? I thought the process was irreversible?”  
Megatron: “When Unicron was destroyed, the power I obtained from him faded.”  
Gama: (Bitter) “And what about you’re supposed ‘death’?”  
Megatron: “I collapsed from my damages, and the power being removed from my body left me far weaker. I only managed to survive by boarding an escape pod at the last minute.”  
Gama: (Growling) “And the lack of contact with me?”  
  
_Megatron drinks his Energon casually, before smirking.  
  
_ Megatron: “When I was recovered, I was living what one would call ‘the good life’. You had the training necessary to ‘lead’ and did not require my presence, so I remained here to recover.”  
  
_Megatron fills two glasses of Energon and offers a glass to Gama.  
  
_ Megatron: “Now it’s just us; the last Decepticons…two brilliant minds reunited in a time of great peril….”  
  
_Gama looks at the glass but says nothing; he takes the glass slowly and nods to Megatron, before they both drink the Energon in unison.  
  
_ Megatron: “And now…onto my own questions.”  
  
_Gama deeply swallows his Energon nervously.  
  
_ Gama: (Nervous) “Q-questions??”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “Just a few little ones; you should be able to answer them with no trouble.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “Errr…um…well…go ahead?”  
Megatron: “I will start with the simplest question; how is your mother?”  
Gama: (Meekly) “M-mother?”  
Megatron: “Affirmative; is she still functional?”  
  
_Gama rubs the back of his head nervously, retracting his spines before sitting down.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “She’s fine…but…she’s fully mated to Starscream now.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “Fully mated? That’s garbage; I still have a SparkMate bond with her--”  
Gama: (Stern) “She’s mated to him because you’re not there to challenge him, and in all honesty, she’d never take you willingly unless you could prove to her that you’re superior.”  
Megatron: “I’d just have to kill him again…”  
Gama: (Stern) “No, you wouldn’t. Don’t you realise now that all the Decepticons besides me are meant to be dead or converted to the two remaining factions? If they saw you, they’d be on you without a moment’s thought! So A, you wouldn’t be able to even get close to Starscream to begin with; and B, you wouldn’t win mother by killing him…she might try to kill YOU.”  
_  
Megatron glares at Gama, who maintains his own glare back at his father.  
  
_ Megatron: (Coldly) “Very well…second question; have you found a mate yet?”  
  
_Gama pauses and looks away.  
  
_ Megatron: (Annoyed) “I see.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “I tried but…with so few females willing to submit to a Decepticon it’s been difficult.”  
Megatron: (Muttering) “I’d suggest a Titron, but there’s a chance they could be of an Autobot breed…and a crossbreed is out of the question.”  
Gama: “I came close to getting a female Titron, who was of Decepticon origin, but it was at the wrong time for me to do anything; I had an Autobot watching me twenty-four-seven, which prevented me from…courting with her.”  
  
_Megatron rubs his eyes tiredly.  
  
_ Megatron: (Annoyed) “Primus, you’re hopeless.”  
Gama: “So I’m stuck with nothing; I can’t find a partner, I can’t mate with anyone, I can’t get Sparklings or continue our family line.”  
Megatron: (Muttering) “Gama, Gama, Gama…”  
Gama: “This is it, father…it’s the end of the line. We can only sit back in the shadows of Cybertron and wait for our time to come to an end.”  
  
_Megatron whistles sharply, before turning to face Gama again.  
  
_ Megatron: (Lecturing) “Alright here’s the deal, Gama; as long as there are females, submissive females, then you can copulate with them and get Sparklings from them. There is ‘no end’ to what we can do, you only think that way because the Autobots have tried to prevent you from becoming something they fear.”  
  
_A female Titron, of Decepticon breed, enters the room and leans on the pole. Megatron tosses a crystal of Dark Energon to her and she begins dancing.  
  
_ Megatron: (Chuckling) “There is a place for our kind still, Gama…and that is to keep strong Robonetics running through the civilisation. A Leader does not just Lead…we are good for another thing.”  
Gama: (Curious) “And that other thing would be…?”  
Megatron: (Smirking) “As pathetic as it may sound, Gama; the Super Breeder is just a Leader Class without the ability to Lead or fight. We are far more desirable than a Super Breeder, so it’s us that keeps the strong blood running through every Decepticon.”  
Gama: “In other words…I’m technically related to…everyone?”  
Megatron: (Laughing) “Of course not! But we are, in theory, related to all other Leader Classes…even, as much as it disgusts me to say it, the…Autobots.”  
  
_Gama and Megatron shudder in unison. The female dances more erotically as Megatron waves a second crystal to her.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “…what is this…Dark Energon? You mentioned it earlier.”  
Megatron: (Smirking) “It is a powerful energy source that only Decepticons can handle; any Autobot that is exposed to it long enough either perishes or becomes one of us. In the past it was a powerful weapon, but now…think of it as a Simultronic.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “…a drug?”  
Megatron: “It’s used for many things in the underground Cybertronian Systems; drugging oneself, trading for weapons or females, selling to museums and research facilities. It’s not used as a weapon anymore because it’s far too unstable; but in small bursts it gives Decepticons a…quick perk…a thrill.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “How did you find it?”  
Megatron: “I took up the job as a miner again, and found a large deposit of Dark Energon…kept it to myself and slowly mined it all out. I’ve sold it and traded it for myself to keep this lifestyle, and the occasional bribe to remain hidden.”  
  
_Gama looks to the female as Megatron tosses the second crystal to her, and she pockets it before climbing down from the pole to the father and son.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “So you’re rich?”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “I’ve always been rich, Gama…in more ways than one.”  
  
_The female sits on Megatrons lap and caresses him, as Gama glares coldly at him.  
  
_ Megatron: (Smirking) “Jealous Gama or are you afraid of being replaced?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “A bit of both, actually.”  
Megatron: “You’re as rich as I am.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I’d rather earn my credits; not mooch off you.”  
Megatron: (Smirking) “I wasn’t talking about credits…”  
  
_Megatron whispers to the female who giggles as a response, before climbing off Megatrons lap and moving to Gama; she dances in front of him seductively.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “Um…madam?”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “You’re rich in RNA, Gama…”  
Gama: “Um…”  
Megatron: (Smirking) “Dear… give him what I’ve paid you for.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “F-father I don’t need this--!”  
Megatron: (Smirking) “You give them their fix and they pay you back with service…and you deserve it, after all you’ve been through.”  
  
_The female approaches Gama seductively, before kneeling down and placing her head between his legs. Gama blushes as the female began licking his crotch, but he refuses to cooperate.  
  
_ Megatron: (Chuckling) “So you don’t want it? Hmm?”  
Gama: (Blushing) “I…I don’t…”  
Megatron: (Stern) “You do like females, don’t you?”  
  
_Gama gasps and looks to his father in shock, before sulking and looking away nervously.  
  
_ Megatron: (Growling) “…don’t you?”  
  
_Gama sighs heavily before ejecting his hose, allowing the female to take it into her mouth and begin sucking. Gama moans softly as she intensifies her desire to extract from him._  
  
Megatron: (Smirking) “Good boy.”  
Gama: (Moaning) “Why aren’t y-you the one getting this?”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “I never said you’d be getting all of her to yourself.”  
  
_Gama closes his eye and moans sharply, placing a hand onto the females head.  
  
_ Megatron: “By the way; what happened to your optic?”  
Gama: (Moaning) “M-Motormaster…cut it out…”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “And why was that?”  
Gama: (Moaning) “I was…a…a..c-c-criminal…wanted…to…a-arrest…”  
Megatron: (Coldly) “If I see him ever again, I’ll tear out both of his optics and shove them up his tailpipe. Now…”  
Gama: (Moaning) “Mmm…Primus…a bit to the left…”  
_  
Megatron rolls his eyes and stands up behind the female, lifting her rear and exposing her port, before locking his hose deep inside of her. Gama blushes as he slowly begins to offload drops of solder into the females mouth, only just taking notice that his father had now mounted her and begun mating with her. She slows her sucking down as Megatron began thrusting into her.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing/Shocked) “F-father! I…I didn’t mean to…I’ll go…”  
Megatron: (Purring) “No, you can stay where you are…I paid her double to let us both use her.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “I didn’t need this…”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “I’ve done this for us both; you deserve a bit of…female submission, as do I. Now let her take the length of your crown like she was made to do.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “Females aren’t there for us to just fuck.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “I see no other use to them.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “No wonder mother never accepted you…you didn’t know how to treat her.”  
  
_Megatron growls again. Gama tenses and moans as he feels the female resume her passionate sucking.  
  
_ Megatron: “It’s an exquisite feeling, Gama…a females port…and mouth.”  
Gama: (Moaning) “T-that tongue…”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “Perhaps you’ll realise that ‘fucking’ a female really is their sole purpose, Gama…when you release into her.”  
  
_Gama pants and spreads his legs further apart, looking down at the female who seemed fully focused on getting him to eject rather than anything else._  
  
Megatron: “These females were breeding units, Gama…spayed by order of the Autobots…but their instinctive programming remains within them.”  
  
_Megatron stops thrusting and removes himself from the female, before sitting down alongside Gama._  
  
Megatron: (Smirking) “So…they get to serve their instinctive purpose here…when you eject, she’ll take it all.”  
Gama: (Panting) “P-primus…ugh…faster…”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “You heard him, Hellhound; faster.”  
  
_The female speeds up her sucking, with Gama moaning sharply and leaning forward clinging to her head._  
  
Gama: (Moaning) “I’m…I’m gonna!!…ugh!…”  
_  
Gama grunts as he ejects his Solder, panting heavily and throwing himself back into the seat as the female retracted herself and turned to Megatron, who teasingly patted his lap.  
The female then climbs onto Megatrons lap and spreads her legs above his V-port, before gasping as he ejects his hose into her.  
  
_ Megatron: (Smirking) “Ride away, Hellhound.”  
Gama: (Panting) “…how many times do you come here?”  
  
_Megatron hums as the female begins thrusting herself up and down on his lap.  
  
_ Megatron: “Whenever I get the urges to dominate someone, Gama.”  
Gama: (Panting) “B-but why?”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Why what?”  
Gama: (Sighing) “Never mind.”  
Megatron: “I can’t have your mother right now, Gama. You know all too well why.”  
_  
Gama nods meekly.  
  
_ Megatron: “When we’re done here, I’ll take you home so you can get some rest. Tomorrow I’m taking you to the mines.”  
Gama: (Sighing) “The most powerful and feared Decepticon breed…reduced to mining…it’s insulting.”  
Megatron: “I have some more Energon crystals to cut down before I expose a likely spot that has more Dark Energon deposits; with you around I should be able to get to it faster. With Dark Energon in our possession, we can rebuild the Decepticons.”  
  
_Gama looks up at his father before blushing and looking away again.  
Megatron turns to look at Gama, who was showing signs of fatigue, waving the female to leave him alone now; she climbs from his lap and leaves the room, allowing Megatron to talk to Gama again in private.  
  
_ Megatron: (Stern) “Now that we’re both a little more relaxed…back to my questions…why did you come back to Cybertron?”  
_  
Gama tilts his head and looks to his father, yawning.  
  
_ Megatron: “Don’t fall asleep here; try to stay awake a little bit longer.”  
Gama: (Tiredly) “I came back because of…the mysterious Decepticon…sighting…”  
  
_Gama raids his storage compartments and reveals the newspaper article, handing it to his father.  
  
_ Megatron: (Groaning) “…fuck…I was caught on camera.”  
Gama: (Yawning) “So it was you…”  
Megatron: “I stole some tools for the miners, I suppose I was careless. So why did you wish to seek this Decepticon out?”  
_  
Gama yawns again.  
  
_ Gama: (Tiredly) “I didn’t want to be alone anymore.”  
  
_Megatron shakes his head.  
  
_ Gama: (Tiredly) “…I wanted to know if they…knew where you would be…father…” _  
  
Megatron gets out of his seat and helps Gama up, who was starting to drift into sleep even as he was lead out of the room by his father, and out of the Decepticon-styled bar and back into the alleyway, with Megatron constantly looking over his shoulders for any possible spies following them.  
When they reach the end of the alleyway, Megatron opens up a ventilation tunnel on the wall of a building before climbing into it with Gama close by. They wander down the tunnel and into a cave, which had several Cybertronians in mining gear walking down in a line back to their dwellings.  
Megatron shifts his gaze around him, as he was not wearing his mining gear or carrying any equipment, but the guards took little to no notice of him.  
Finally the miners, including Megatron and Gama, reach the dwellings; they are holes in the walls of a large tunnel, with round prison-like doors as entrances. Megatron opens his dwellings door and enters, locking it behind him before putting Gama down on the bed.  
As Gama slowly fought the urge to sleep, he watched his father sitting at a small table; assembling something.  
  
_ Gama: (Tiredly) “…this place is a shithole.”  
  
_Megatron stops working and turns to stare at Gama, chuckling before continuing his work.  
  
_ Megatron: (Smirking) “It does well to keep me hidden.”  
Gama: “…what are you making?”  
Megatron: (Sighing) “A bomb…nothing major, just enough to blow a hole in the side of a cargo ship.”  
Gama: (Yawning) “Planning on more stealing?”  
  
_Megatron laughs.  
  
_ Megatron: (Chuckling) “I certainly am…a cargo ship loaded with Cybertonium landed this morning, I was working on this explosive all day until I went out for a walk.”  
Gama: “…you went to look at your Fusion Cannon and the memorabilia, didn’t you?”  
  
_Megatron stops laughing and working, and stares vacantly at the wall.  
  
_ Megatron: (Quietly) “…I did.”  
  
_Megatron continues working again.  
  
_ Gama: (Tiredly) “We’ll get the gun back someday, father…just you….wait…and…see…”  
  
_Gama falls backwards and is now lying totally flat on the bed, snoring loudly. Megatron turns to look back at his son and chuckles as he gets out of his seat, approaching the bed and covering Gama over with the blanket, before returning to his work.  
  
_


	5. Dark Energon

Megatron: “Alright Gama; time to get up.”  
  
_Gama groans and looks at his utility device, setting it to clock mode._  
  
Gama: (Whining) “But it’s five in the morning…”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Real Leaders awaken early, to get to the target before the low-life. Now get up.”  
  
_Megatron kicks Gama’s side, forcing him off the bed. Gama groans as he gets up and weakly approaches his father, only to have masses of mining gear shoved into his arms.  
  
_ Megatron: “You’ll need these…oh, and one of these…”  
  
_Megatron slaps a light onto Gama’s forehead.  
  
_ Megatron: “And some tape here, here and here…”  
  
_Megatron tapes Miners Tape onto Gama’s chest, arms and forehead. Gama flails.  
  
_ Gama: (Whining) “I never agreed to go into a dark, dirty mine!”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Tsk…you need to lose the ‘prince’ act and fit into the role of an Alpha, Gama. You’re meant to get down and dirty, set an example to the low-life and THEN you get up high and clean yourself off.”  
_  
Gama groans again.  
  
_ Megatron: “Now to the mines; stay close or you’ll get lost.” _  
  
Megatron shifts the metal slab that was the door to their dwelling, before scooting his vision down the dark and damp tunnel. Once he’d checked for threats, Megatron climbs out of the hole and begins wandering down the tunnel with Gama close behind him. Gama looks at the tunnel walls as they walk to the mines, and sees Cybertronians in similar dwellings to the one he just slept in.  
  
_ Gama: “…these are the low-lifes?”  
Megatron: (Stern) “No, Gama; these are Decepticon slaves.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “But Thundercracker said I was the last one…”  
Megatron: (Growling) “These Decepticons have all been branded with the Autobot insignia; forced into being one of their many hordes of slaves, or die. They wear the badge, they do as ordered, but they hate every minute of it.”  
Gama: “Then why don’t they rebel? There’s so many of them...”  
  
_Megatron smirks.  
  
_ Megatron: (Slyly) “All in good time, Gama. For now they need to stay here and do ‘their work’ until the time comes for the uprising.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “So…you’re like the boss to them?”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “Not exactly, Gama. I’m just like they are; minute and insignificant, to blend in with them so that I remain undetected. All I do around these slaves is reassuring them that the Autobots suppression will soon come to an end, and that they will be free.”  
Gama: “So who are the low-lives?”  
Megatron: (Whispering) “That would be the Autobots who volunteered to do mining themselves.”  
_  
Megatron stops at one of the dwelling doors and looks inside, before continuing down the tunnel.  
  
_ Megatron: “They’ve gone early today…I was hoping we wouldn’t be competing for the Dark Energon again.”  
Gama: (Curious) “…who?”  
Megatron: (Smirking) “Rumble and Frenzy; they’ve taken Ravage with them as well.”  
Gama: (Shocked) “Y-you mean Soundwave abandoned them?!”  
Megatron: (Disgusted) “Ghg…to think those many years back he’d do anything to protect them…he’d practically ADOPTED them…but as soon as he gets real offspring he discarded them like a soiled cloth; he sickens me.”  
_  
Gama lowers his head and follows his father down the tunnel and into the larger caverns; right now there was very little sound, as only Frenzy and Rumble were awake. Megatron leads Gama to where he usually mines for the Dark Energon, only to find Frenzy drilling at the spot with Rumble and Ravage nearby gathering the broken regular Energon Crystal shards and placing them into a mine-cart.  
  
_ Megatron: “You two; I thought I made it clear this was not your spot.”  
Rumble: (Angry) “Hey old geezer you know the rules; first come, first serve! Get up earlier next time!”  
Megatron: (Growling) “What did you just call me?”  
  
_Frenzy stops drilling at the wall to watch and listen; sounds of more miners entering the mines can be heard.  
  
_ Rumble: (Shouting) “You heard me you old geezer! Get up earlier!”  
Megatron: (Angry) “You disrespectful little…!”  
Rumble: (Shouting) “You’re the boss of nobody now! And your son Gama is dead; all hope for you being top-bot is gone! So stick to the rules or I might slip out word that Megatron is prowling down here!!”  
_  
Gama hisses and pushes past Megatron, snarling at Rumble who cowers.  
  
_ Rumble: (Nervous) “G-Gama…how nice to err…see you’re still functional…”  
  
_Gama roars, baring his fangs causing the three Casseticons to cower._  
  
Gama: (Growling) “Move over; this is our spot, bug.”  
  
_Rumble nods before rushing to Frenzy and Ravage, slowly edging them away from the wall to a different spot. Gama sighs when the Casseticons are further away, before turning to look at Megatron.  
  
_ Megatron: “Always remember; you’re the Alpha. Beat down on anyone who thinks otherwise.”  
_  
Gama nods, before receiving a pickaxe. Gama stares at it before looking at his father, who had begun smashing into the wall with a very large shovel; he pulls out mounds of Energon Crystals and dirt with every hit to the wall. Gama clenches the pickaxe and smacks it into the wall, but it gets stuck and he can’t seem to pull it out. Megatron stops and groans at the sight, before pulling the pickaxe out himself.  
  
_ Megatron:  “Try something else if you can’t use a pickaxe.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Like what? My bare hands?”  
  
_Gama suddenly ponders and looks at his hands; he remembers the spikes on his knuckles, and begins punching the wall with them which causes large amounts of dirt to break free from the crystal deposits, allowing Megatron to break them out and scoop them into a mining cart easier.  
  
_ Megatron: (Smirking) “You seem to have gotten the hang of it now, Gama. Just continue doing that and we should reach something behind this wall before the end of the day.”  
_  
Gama nods and intensifies his punches and the speed of them.  
  
_ Megatron: “Don’t overdo it, Gama; pace yourself so you’ll last longer.”  
  
_Gama ignores his father and begins panting as he slowly started to tire; Megatron rolls his eyes before kicking at the wall, causing the deposit of Energon Crystals to crack. Gama stops to take a short breather before returning to punching the wall, unaware that an Autobot had shown up behind the pair to inspect the crystals they had found.  
  
_ Autobot: “…Miners; what do you call this?”  
  
_Megatron flinches and looks over his shoulder to see one of the guards alongside Perceptor, Gama had taken no notice of them and was still digging at the wall with his knuckles. Megatron slowly turns around and looks at the cart full of crystals, he was so dirty it was hard to tell who he was.  
  
_ Megatron: “Energon Crystals, sir.”  
Perceptor: (Pondering) “I’m detecting feint Dark Energon energy radiating from a majority of these crystals; I believe we made it clear to you all to avoid mining tainted Energon deposits.”  
Megatron: “I didn’t notice, sir. It won’t happen again, sir.”  
Perceptor: (Sighing) “Unfortunately you will still need to be punished; guard, do as instructed whilst I dispose of these crystals.”  
  
_Perceptor wheels out the cart of ‘tainted’ crystals as the guard draws his whip. Megatron flinches a bitter glare and stands in front of Gama, protecting him from the guards sight.  
  
_ Guard: (Chuckling) “The second one requires punishment too, you know.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “He’s new, he didn’t know.”  
Guard: “…oh really?”  
_  
The guard whips at Megatron who takes the strike, ensuring Gama was still behind him. Gama stops his digging and turns to look over his shoulder. The guard whips at Megatron repeatedly, but he does not move. Once Megatron showed signs of fatigue, the guard stops whipping.  
  
_ Guard: (Smug) “Find another pile of dirt to roll around in, slag. This area has nothing clean for you to extract for US.” _  
  
Megatron growls as the guard leaves; Gama pants from the shock of what just happened, and tries to see his father’s front, but Megatron refuses to let him see how weak he’d become.  
  
_ Gama: (Concerned) “…father, this lifestyle is making you…not yourself…”  
Megatron: “Gama I was like this before the war started; an average miner, afraid of killing, of death, of violence…it was a simple way of living…returning to it after all those years in hardship as the Decepticon Leader can make anybody feel…different.”  
_  
Gama sighs as Megatron waves him to follow him.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “So I guess we’re moving to another wall?”  
Megatron: “Not exactly…”  
Gama: (Groaning) “So where are we going?”  
  
_Megatron leads Gama to around a corner from the wall they had been working on, before looking around him and kicking it exposing a solid mound of Dark Energon crystals. Megatron opens his back compartment where his tools are stored and quickly piles in large quantities of the Dark Energon Crystals inside it. Gama yanks out a crystal and examines it.  
  
_ Megatron: (Quietly) “Don’t grab any of this Gama, I want you to break through into the tunnel and can’t risk you accidently using the Dark Energon.”  
Gama: “Accidental usage?”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “I’ll tell you later; for now we need to grab the best Dark Energon and hide it.”  
  
_Megatron looks over his shoulder as he hears a conversation, before nudging Gama to the exposed wall.  
  
_ Megatron: (Quietly) “Quickly; break it open. One solid punch from your fist should shatter it.”  
  
_Gama shrugs and tosses aside the crystal before punching the wall, breaking it wide open exposing a tunnel totally made from Dark Energon. Gama steps towards the tunnel but is stopped by Megatron.  
  
_ Megatron: (Quietly) “No, for now we’ll hide it. This just saves us the trouble of breaking through the wall again.”  
  
_Megatron grasps a large boulder and pushes it in front of the tunnel, hiding it from view, just in time as a pair of Autobot guards entered. Megatron slaps dust onto his chassis and onto Gama, before pretending to dig in the ground with the shovel.  
  
_ Guard: (Smug) “Well, well…Number 32…covered from head to toe in dirt as usual.”  
Megatron: “Yes sir.”  
Guard: (Chuckling) “Found anything yet? Something actually worth using for the Autobots?”  
Megatron: “Negative, sir. All this area has crystals tainted by Dark Energon, or small quantities of Cybertonium, sir.”  
Guard #2: (Curious) “Hey who is this guy?”  
  
_The second guard nudges Gama with his gun, as the first guard examines him.  
  
_ Guard: (Suspecting) “He has no brand, or a number.”  
Megatron: “He’s a friend of mine, sir.”  
Guard: (Laughing) “Covered in dirt, just like you are.”  
Guard #2: (Stern) “You know the rules Number 32; no visitors inside the mines.”  
Megatron: “I am inducting him so he can join us, sir. Isn’t that right friend?”  
  
_Gama raises a brow, picking up the wink from his father, before nodding in silence.  
  
_ Guard: (Chuckling) “Well we could always use the extra help; he’ll need to be branded and given a number eventually though.”  
Guard #2: (Suspecting) “He looks an awful lot like you Number 32…”  
  
_Megatron attempts to speak, when suddenly the first Guard coughs to get everyone’s attention.  
  
_ Guard: (Stern) “Hey, I just found a shard of Dark Energon on the floor near here.”  
Guard #2: (Shocked) “C-call Perceptor! We need to get this area scanned and these two decontaminated!”  
Megatron: (Whispering) “Fuck…if that Autobot-nerd sees it’s us again we’ll get more than a whipping.”  
_  
Gama approaches the guards, and yanks the Dark Energon from the floor causing them to step back in a panic.  
  
_ Gama: “…Dark Energon huh? Why are you so afraid of this stuff?”  
Guard #2: (Nervous) “K-kid…put that down and get against the wall…”  
Gama: (Stern) “You know, I don’t like it when people call me ‘kid’.”  
  
_Gama’s spines erect down his back, and he growls at the guards.  
  
_ Megatron: “N-no…put the Dark Energon down…”  
Gama: (Smirking) “What? I was just going to throw it away.” _  
  
One of the guards rushes Gama and hits him with a whip, accidently causing Gama to slap the Dark Energon to his chest, sending a wave of power throughout him. The two guards panic, but Gama just overloads on the Energy and collapses. Megatron face-palms as the guards remain in a state of panic, before crawling to Gama and slapping his face to wake him up; Gama remains unconscious.  
  
_ Megatron: (Muttering) “And this helped us, how?”  
Guard #2: (Panicked) “N-number 32; back to your chamber! Take him with you!! We’ll send someone to decontaminate you both later!”  
_  
Megatron scratches his helmet before smirking at Gama, whom he lifted in his arms.  
  
_ Megatron: “Right away, sir.”  
_  
Megatron hauls Gama out of the mine and back to the dwelling.  
Gama awakens a while later in his father’s bed, with an empty bucket beside him along with two buckets full of water. Gama coughs as he feels something slowly clogging his ventilation system, before reaching for the empty bucket and vomiting into it.  
  
_ Megatron: (VO) “Side effect of Dark Energon poisoning; happens all the time to those who first try it.”  
  
_Gama looks up and around the room, not seeing his father. Suddenly the dwelling door opens and Megatron enters with a large sack which he places onto the floor, revealing even more crystals of Dark Energon. Gama covers his mouth and vomits into the bucket again.  
  
_ Megatron: “Drink some water and then wash your mouth out with the other bucket of water; it leaves a very bitter and dry aftertaste.”  
  
_Gama does as instructed and watches his father closely; he was taking out Dark Energon shards one by one and inspecting them, before tossing some into a new sack and others down a garbage tube. Gama sits in silence and watches his father finish inspecting the shards.  
  
_ Megatron: “…how is your appetite?”  
Gama: (Groaning) “Hard to tell…I still feel sick, and have a splitting headache.”  
_  
Megatron gets out of his seat and raids the cooler, pulling out a bottle of Energon and a bottle of something else. Megatron pushes his chair close to the bed and hands Gama the non-Energon filled bottle.  
  
_ Megatron: “Drink it.”  
  
_Gama looks at the bottle nervously, before looking to his father. Megatron groans and takes the bottle back, before taking a sip himself and handing it back.  
  
_ Megatron: “Its Cybertonium mixed with alkalis and a catalyst; it will cure your hangover.”  
_  
Gama looks at the bottle and shrugs, before sipping it.  
  
_ Megatron: “Drink it all in one go or it won’t work.”  
  
_Gama gags from the sip but does as instructed and drinks it all without pausing. He sticks his tongue out in disgust and happily takes the Energon bottle from his father.  
  
_ Megatron: (Stern) “Never, and I repeat, NEVER let that happen again. The last thing I want is for you to get addicted to Dark Energon.”  
Gama: “Addicted? You mean…this stuff is dangerous?”  
Megatron: (Lecturing) “Dark Energon in its raw, unrefined state is more dangerous than taking it in refined form; other than bringing back the feelings of the ‘good old days’ and turning ‘pain into pleasure’ it also acts as a powerful narcotic, filling the user with thrilling, dark sensations which cause addiction. Dark Energon withdrawal turns the user into a raving brute desperate to do anything for more. If the craving is not satisfied, the user devolves to a beast-like state and eventually dies.”  
Gama: “Which is why I should be more careful handling the crystals?”  
Megatron: (Stern) “That is correct; unrefined Dark Energon has an 80% chance of causing addiction on a lethal scale which is why I’m not allowing you to handle the crystals anymore, if you’re going to be careless like you were earlier.”  
Gama: “Can’t I just hold them for you? I don’t have to do anything else with them.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “Primus…NO; you’re not touching them, it’s a poison.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “…but it felt good.”  
  
_Megatron sighs heavily before holding out a shard of raw Dark Energon, and watches Gama closely. Gama stares at the shard and licks his lips, but does not try to take the shard.  
  
_ Megatron: “We’re lucky; you’re a level six.”  
Gama: (Distracted) “Huh…what?”  
Megatron: “Level six addict; you’re not really addicted, but if you directly consumed the Dark Energon you would be. The worst addiction state is level one.”  
_  
Gama reaches out slowly to touch the shard but Megatron grabs his hand.  
  
_ Megatron: “You’re still in the safe zone, the stage you can cure yourself; don’t end up like Barricade.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “Did he…d-die?”  
Megatron: “He’s in a coma at the Command Centres Sickbay facility; he overdosed on Dark Energon, became addicted and continued to feed his addiction until he could not find anymore to feed it with. The Autobots would pull the plug on him but, they want to see if he’ll ever wake up.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “H-how can I…get rid of this urge to use it? I want to take it…but I know I shouldn’t…”  
Megatron: “Direct infusing with the chest will make your recovery difficult; just drink that Energon I gave you three times a day and you should slowly weed yourself off Dark Energon. The bottles are in the cooler.”  
_  
Megatron gets up from his seat and approaches the door, only to stop and look back as he heard Gama mutter something.  
  
_ Megatron: “Did you say something?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “…n-no…Just telling myself I’m stupid.”  
  
_Megatron narrows his eyes and sighs before exiting the dwelling.  
  
_ Megatron: (VO) “I’ll be back shortly, I promise. I need to visit an old friend.”  
  
_Gama sighs heavily and drinks more of the Energon before throwing himself back onto the bed to rest.  
An hour and a half later and Gama awakens to the sound of his father’s voice, along with the voice of someone else he recognised, getting closer to the dwelling; Shockwave.  
  
_ Megatron: (VO/Laughing) “And that wasn’t all! I found the remains of a Dweller tunnel, and guess what happened when the guards saw it? Pure chaos! They evacuated the whole sector and began smothering it with repellents! The stench was so foul that Razorclaw passed out!”  
Shockwave: (VO) “I do hope it wasn’t Driller, I specifically told him to remain near the Dark Energon tunnels so the Autobots didn’t harm him.” _  
  
Gama grabs the bed sheets and covers himself over once the door to the dwelling was opened, hiding himself from Megatron and Shockwave.  
  
_ Shockwave: “As much as it pleases me to see you again, Lord Megatron, I must say I find these accommodation conditions rather appalling…and I am somewhat shocked that you’ve remained here for oh…five years, was it?” _  
_ Megatron: (Smirking) “Exactly five years, Shockwave. However, these shoddy conditions have been helping me keep a low profile.”  
Shockwave: “…and the prince?”  
  
_Megatron scouts the room and cannot see Gama, immediately taking notice of the abnormal bulge under the bed sheets. He smirks as he approaches it, and yanks the sheet off to find Gama huddled underneath.  
  
_ Megatron: (Smirking) “Keeping himself out of sight, like a good boy, but we have that slight problem...which I mentioned on our way here.”  
Shockwave: “I shall investigate right away, as ordered, my liege.”  
_  
Shockwave approaches the bed and hauls Gama from it, before changing his utility hand from gun-mode into torch-mode. He shines the light into Gama’s eye, before targeting the torch at the covered eye.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Hmm…I need to see the extent of the damage before I can assess how long it will take for the repairs.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Gama, remove your patch.”  
  
_Gama reluctantly removes his patch, revealing his injury and missing eye. Shockwave examines it in silence.  
  
_ Shockwave: “The entire optic has been removed, with slight damage to the sensor nodes at the back of the optic channel. I am able to repair it, but it would take a great deal of time and resources.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “…you can fix my optic?”  
Megatron: (Smirking) “Unless you want to show your respect and admiration to Shockwave by remaining with a single one.”  
Gama: “Uhh…no thanks.”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “If I begin the repairs now, it will need to be in a cleaner environment…and I will only be able to perform the repairs in short sessions in order for me to have the time to construct a new optic to fit the existing channel.”  
  
_Gama covers his missing eye again and nervously looks away from Shockwave, who narrows his eye as if suspecting something.  
  
_ Megatron: “Start the repairs as soon as I’ve cleared out that Dark Energon tunnel, and try to give me special permission to access that area.”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “An excellent idea, Lord Megatron. However, I wish to perform a quick examination of the prince as a precaution before I begin any form of repairs.” _  
  
Gama’s eye widens and he looks to his father, who nods.  
  
_ Megatron: “Examine him freely; I will be in the mines finishing my work.”  
  
_Shockwave bows as Megatron takes his leave, and turns to look at Gama once his master had departed.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Muttering) “So the prince of the Decepticon Empire; again we meet.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I’m just as unhappy to see you as you are to see me.”  
Shockwave: “Gamatron, sire, about our confrontation before…”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Doing what you had to, to survive under Autobot oppression.”  
_  
Shockwave nods.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “Might I also inform you…that I disliked the looks you gave me a moment ago. If I was emperor, Leader, of the Decepticons…I’d have had your optic cut out for my own use.”  
Shockwave: “Practicing your future disciplinary threats, sire? Very impressive.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “What other examinations do you need to do? I’d like them to be over and done with so I can go and assist my father.”  
Shockwave: “Dark Energon addiction is too great a risk for us to allow you back into the mine, Gamatron.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “…and this examination?”  
Shockwave: “You may not sense it, but I’m feeling something alien is inside of you. I need to check you over for any spy devices and the like.”  
Gama: (Snorting) “Spy devices? Inside me? Don’t make me laugh, Shockwave; I’m clean.”  
_  
Shockwave narrows his eye and scouts Gama’s physic with it, before returning his gaze to make eye-contact.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “Clean, you say? I still have my suspicions sire, as I detect Titron Energy signatures emitting from your tailpipe.”  
  
_Gama firmly slaps his hands onto his tailpipe, before slowly backing away.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Ah…so you do know.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “N-no…I just don’t want anyone, especially the likes of you, to investigate that area.”  
Shockwave: “So if you did know, you’d allow the device to remain inside? Wouldn’t you rather have it removed?”  
Gama: (Growling) “N-no…like I said…I’m not letting anyone touch that spot…what do you think I am; gay?”  
Shockwave: (Bluntly) “Yes.” _  
  
Gama narrows his eye as Shockwave chuckles.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “You’re such an asshole, Shockwave.”  
_  
Shockwave slowly approaches, turning his utility hand into his default clawed hand, before flexing his fingers.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Slyly) “Sire, just a quick inspection is all I require…do not make me force you.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “H-how about I do something for you instead? J-just don’t perform the inspection.”  
Shockwave: “Sire, I’m not the type to ask my future master to do something for me, other than allow me to do my job.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “I…I’ll…I’ll defrag you…?”  
  
_Shockwave squints.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Bitter) “I live a life of logic, Gamatron, free of such petty…needs…like love and pleasure.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “S-so you won’t try to mount me?”  
Shockwave: “Certainly not, sire.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “…then…I guess you can inspect me…”  
_  
Shockwave chuckles and flexes his claws again.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Now face the wall, spread your legs evenly apart and try to relax.”  
_  
Gama nods and does as instructed, before remembering about his secret port. If Shockwave finds the port, he’d likely tell Megatron and that would humiliate him. As Shockwave readies himself to inspect Gama he suddenly finds his patient turning back around to stare at him.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Changed your mind, sire?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “T-there’s…something I don’t want my father to know about…I can’t let you find out about it either.”  
Shockwave: “If it has anything to do with the time you got hacked in the Breeding Facility, then he knows about it.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “H-he does?”  
Shockwave: “Yes sire.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “S-still…that’s not what I don’t want him to know about.”  
Shockwave: “If it’s the fact you were gay, and had allowed males to mount you in the past, then I’d gladly keep that a secret.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “It’s not that either…”  
  
_Shockwave face-palms and turns away from Gama.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Very well then…I’ll just tell him you declined inspection, and will leave you to him and his own inspection methods.”  
  
_Gama deeply swallows nervously.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Slyly) “So you can either have me inspect you, and allow me to keep certain information secret from him, or you can let him do it himself. You’re choice, sire.”  
  
_Gama shivers and mutters to himself, before turning to face the wall again to allow Shockwave to inspect him. Shockwave turns around and slips a chuckle as Gama tries to pretend the inspection isn’t happening, and tenses as he feels a cold claw gently prick the outside of his tailpipe. Shockwave chuckles once again, and before Gama knew it, he was being mounted. Gama attempts shaking Shockwave from his back, but the large claws on Shockwaves hands meant he could hold onto Gama’s frame far easier. Gama gasps as Shockwave ejected his hose into his tailpipe, with it fortunately going up the tailpipe tunnel and avoiding the port tunnel. Shockwave hums as Gama tensed, and gently began thrusting.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “S-so much for not desiring pleasure, Shockwave.”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “This is the best way of removing any alien devices, sire…and I could see it in your optic; your desire…your stunningly magnificent optic, screaming for input…”  
Gama: (Groaning) “So you only wanted to fuck me because I had one optic?”  
Shockwave: “I can only make eye-contact effectively with those who also have one optic, which is quite rare, sire. I saw lust, and I felt it channel from your optic into mine…”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “You better still repair it, I don’t like you the same way as you may like me.”  
Shockwave: (Sighing) “I said I’d repair it, and I will, but I think you look glorious with just the one Gamatron.”  
  
_Gama slips a moan as Shockwave pushed harder and pulled back with more force, until ramming Gama against the wall.  
  
_ Shockwave: “So far I’ve detected nothing up here, and with this amount of force I should have pulled it right out. You’re clean.”  
  
_Shockwave continues to thrust, with Gama shivering as his tailpipe innards were ground by the barbs on Shockwaves much larger hose._  
_  
_ Gama: (Groaning) “D-dismount then if I’m clean!”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “I’ll just be a moment, I want to make sure you’re one hundred percent clean.”  
  
_Shockwave dismounts Gama after he once again attempted to shake him off, before patting him on the back.  
  
_ Shockwave: “That will do for now, I still detect a device signature but cannot assess where it is located.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Thank Primus.”  
Shockwave: “So get some rest, sire. I’ll be escorting you and Lord Megatron to Monacus when he returns from the mines.”  
Gama: (Curious) “Monacus? Why do we need to go there?”  
Shockwave: “We need a new ship, and crew, if we are to restore the Empire.”  
  
_Gama’s eye widens and Shockwave purrs lovingly as he stares deeply into it.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “He’ll be a few hours…so if you don’t have any plans or desires to rest…”  
  
_Gama shakes his head and nudges Shockwave angrily to the door, Shockwave chuckles as Gama franticly tries to get him out of the dwelling.  
  
_ Gama: (Angry) “Out! OUT! Go away; I don’t want you!!”  
Shockwave: “Oh you will, sire…you will.”  
  
_Shockwave is finally pushed outside of the dwelling, and Gama forces the door shut to prevent him coming back inside. He leans against the door, regaining his breath, before staring at the bed and crawling back into it to rest._


	6. To Rebuild an Empire -Part 1-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember; this is 100% my own universe, so I have rewritten the histories of everyone (so they all have childhoods.) Also, remember that this Shockwave is my own universes incarnation (since each continuities Shockwave has been very different in personality, I thought I'd give it a try too.)

_Shockwave was indeed correct; after seven hours Megatron had finished clearing out all the Dark Energon he needed to buy a new ship with, and Shockwave had used his own private craft to ship himself and the two Leaders to Monacus. Gama, not trusting Shockwave fully just yet, orders his father to keep watch over him until he signalled the need for his presence. On his own, Gama wandered to a club labelled “Dancitron”; in Alpha and Beta’s old letters, they’d tell Gama and Crasher about the club they had been starting together, and if Gama was to need goods from the twins he knew he’d find them at that club.  
Gama enters the club and scouts around him for signs of Alpha or Beta, and finds the twins sat in a booth drinking Energon together and counting Credits (space currency). He approaches the table and stands, watching Alpha chewing on a Cybertronian Cigar and Beta counting the Credits. When he realises they were so focused on counting, he coughs to gain their attention.  
  
_ Beta: “Dammit, I lost count; I’ll need to start over.” _  
  
Alpha grunts and chews on his cigar, before growling.  
  
_ Alpha: (Annoyed) “What do you want? We’re busy.”  
Gama: “Even for family?”  
  
 _Alpha looks to Gama and gawks, with his cigar falling onto the table and Beta quickly snatching it up for himself.  
  
_ Alpha: (Shocked) “G-Gama? T-this is a surprise!”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Spare me the dramatic response; I’m here on business.”  
 _  
Alpha shushes Gama and leans forwards, scouting around them, before waving him closer.  
  
_ Alpha: (Whispering) “No Autobots?”  
Gama: “None.”  
  
 _Alpha leans to Beta and whispers to him, when out of the corner of Gama’s eye he sees his cloaked father enter the club._  
  
Gama: (Whispering) “I thought I said we need to watch Shockwave?”  
Megatron: (Whispering) “He needs nobody to watch him, he’s trustworthy.”  
Gama: (Whispering) “Whatever.”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “Remember; I’m not your father here, I’m just a friend.”  
 _  
Gama nods before turning back to Alpha and Beta.  
  
_ Gama: “My good friend here has some…exotic rarities which might interest you both, if you would like to perform a trade?”  
Beta: (Smug) “Well you might get something from us…if…”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “If what?”  
Beta: (Purring) “First of all; tell us what the rarities are.”  
  
 _Gama nods to Megatron, who opens up the sack revealing Dark Energon crystals. Beta nods to Alpha who approaches the sack and examines its contents.  
  
_ Beta: “…and these are what?”  
Alpha: (Stern) “Dark Energon, Beta…refined and very high quality.”  
Beta: (Shocked) “D-Dark Energon?!”  
  
 _Beta looks to Gama in awe as Alpha continues to examine each crystal.  
  
_ Alpha: (Distracted) “What are you looking for?”  
Gama: “A ship, some weapons and ammunition.”  
Beta: (Smug) “Starting a new army, hmm?”  
Alpha: (Growling) “Shush, it’s business; we don’t need to know what the stuff is for.”  
  
 _Beta shrugs as Alpha finishes examining the crystals._  
  
Alpha: (Stern) “According to the quality of this Dark Energon, we can only give you the highest quality ship in our possession along with two custom cannons , three crates of ammunition and an extra large box of nachos.”  
Gama: “We don’t need the nachos.”  
Alpha: (Pondering) “Well…I’ll throw in a fourth crate of ammunition instead then.”  
  
 _Gama listens as Megatron whispers to him, Alpha sits back down.  
  
_ Gama: “Deal. Now what can we give you for some crew members?”  
Alpha: (Chuckling) “Oh, ask Beta; that’s his department.”  
  
 _Beta receives the sack of Dark Energon and hands Gama the card-keys to the ship, along with tokens to get their guns and ammunition.  
  
_ Beta: (Smirking) “For crew members, it’ll cost you five thousand credits per deckhand…”  
Gama: “We were thinking of something else to trade for them, instead of credits.”  
Beta: (Smirking) “Well…you could either trade us some more of the Dark Energon, some regular Energon, some spare parts or females…”  
Alpha: (Slyly) “Or…service.”  
  
 _Gama raises a brow.  
  
_ Gama: (Suspecting) “Service? Me?”  
Alpha: (Slyly) “Both of you.”  
 _  
Megatron looks to Gama and nods his head.  
  
_ Gama: (Suspecting) “Alright but…what kind of service?”  
Alpha: (Slyly) “Hmmm…well you could either run some errands for us…”  
Beta: (Smirking) “…or entertain us.” _  
  
Megatron twitches as Gama blushes.  
  
_ Megatron: (Quietly) “Soundwave spawn…so awkward to get a decent response from.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “We need to do it, otherwise we have no crew.”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “Fine, but I’m going to hold you responsible for anything that should happen to us.”  
Gama: “Alright you two; we’ll do anything you want for the crew members.” _  
  
Alpha and Beta whisper to one another for a moment before chuckling and turning to Gama and Megatron.  
  
_ Alpha: (Smirking) “Gama; get on all fours and bark like a dog.”  
  
 _Gama squints, with his spines slowly erecting from his back as he becomes angry, before getting down onto all fours and barking repeatedly. Megatron growls and looks down at Gama as he continues to reluctantly behave like a dog.  
  
_ Beta: (Laughing) “Oh primus! Okay! I have one for you; Gama, hump the big guys leg like a dog!”  
 _  
Gama squints and cautiously looks to Megatron, who remains motionless and hides his obvious feelings of awkwardness as Gama begins humping his leg. Alpha and Beta laugh uncontrollably.  
  
_ Alpha: (Laughing) “Oh…oh primus…! This is too rich!”  
Beta: (Laughing) “Okay Gama now to up the ante; kiss his crotch.”  
Gama: (Shouting) “WHAT?! NO WAY!”  
  
 _Alpha and Beta whistle innocently, waving forms of crew members at him. Gama squints and looks up at Megatron, who very angrily shakes his head.  
  
_ Gama: (Nervous) “N-no guys…I can’t do that.”  
Beta: (Whining) “Aww…that’s no fun.”  
Alpha: (Laughing) “It’s alright Gama, I understand…you can kiss mine instead.”  
 _  
Gama whines before looking up at Megatron once more, who nods this time. Gama sighs heavily before approaching Alpha and hesitantly kisses his crotch. Alpha chuckles before ejecting his hose in front of Gama’s face, who pulls back.  
  
_ Alpha: (Smirking) “Now suck it.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Why should I?! I’m a Leader Class and you—”  
Alpha: “I am the one who can give you the best crew in the Galaxy, even ex-Decepticons. Now suck it or you’re getting nothing.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “He’s not gay like you are, Alpha.”  
Alpha: (Slyly) “Oh, well, who are you to judge? I just haven’t had a decent fuck for a long, long time…”  
Beta: (Annoyed) “I haven’t either but you don’t see me asking Gama for a blowjob.”  
Gama: (Angry) “Put your hose away; I’m not sucking it no matter how good the crew you can get me is!”  
Alpha: (Smirking) “Hmmm…perhaps some juicy information I have about you would make you change your mind Gama?”  
Gama: (Shocked) “Y-you wouldn’t?!”  
  
 _Alpha tilts his head and licks his lips, narrowing his eyes seductively whilst fondling his hose in front of Gama. Gama tightly shuts his eye before taking in Alpha’s hose, and begins sucking.  
  
_ Alpha: (Purring) “Oh Gama…you’ve got quite a way with your mouth.”  
Megatron: (Bitter) “Just like your father…blackmail.”  
Alpha: (Purring) “He taught me well, Megatron.”  
  
 _Megatron squints and steps back as Alpha smirks deviously at him, tightly grasping onto Gama’s head as he continued giving him a blowjob.  
  
_ Alpha: (Smirking) “Did you think a dirty cloak and lowering your voice would fool me? Seriously? You knew who we were, you knew who our father was, and yet you still believed you could deceive us.”  
Beta: (Muttering) “He had me fooled for a little while.”  
Alpha: (Slyly) “Now I don’t just have material to blackmail Gama with, but I can do exactly the same to you Megatron…but I won’t.”  
 _  
Megatron growls deeply as Alpha prevents Gama from pulling out of the blowjob by keeping his head securely in place.  
  
_ Megatron: (Angry) “Because you know I will kill you for this, and if you dared attempt blackmailing me; now release my son.”  
Alpha: (Slyly) “Not so fast tough-guy! One blowjob will net you ten crew members; if he takes my Solder I’ll triple it to thirty.”  
Megatron: (Shouting) “The answer is still NO; now release him!”  
  
 _Alpha rolls his eyes before whistling to someone at the back of the room; Megatron turns to see who would be coming, to find Soundwave himself approaching from the bar.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Annoyed) “What is it now, Alpha?”  
Alpha: (Smirking) “Hey dad, I---”  
Soundwave: (Confused) “…is that Gama between your legs?”  
Alpha: (Chuckling) “Yeah but---”  
Soundwave: (Boldly) “If he’s giving you a blowjob, I’ll increase the amount of rent you’ll have to pay me.”  
Alpha: (Groaning) “Dad, please…he didn’t have any credits to pay for something…”  
Soundwave: (Muttering) “I’m going to need to talk to you away from Beta about this later…now what did you want?”  
Alpha: (Slyly) “You’ll never guess who’s still alive and kicking dad, it’s—”  
Megatron: (Growling) “Enough! Just…enough…”  
Soundwave: (Suspecting) “…Megatron?”  
  
 _Megatron turns away from Soundwave, who calmly stares at him without saying a word.  
  
_ Alpha: “You bet dad! The old boss-bot!”  
Soundwave: (Coldly) “I thought you died and became Galvatron?”  
Megatron: (Muttering) “Why should you care.”  
Soundwave: “…Flare was right then…you really didn’t die on the Nemesis that day.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “She was right about many things, and I was foolish to ignore her; so go ahead and call the authorities, it will just bring me closer towards re-finding her.”  
Soundwave: “I’m not calling anyone; part of me is relieved you’re not dead.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “Don’t lie to me; I know you want me dead so you have no competition for the Breeder.”  
Soundwave: “Flare and I are no longer real mates; I only get to mate with her whenever she visits Monacus now, whenever Starscream isn’t with her.”  
  
 _Megatron looks away and mutters to himself.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Sighing) “Starscream is her mate now; nothing will change that. You can try to get her to be your toy again all you want, but she’ll put up a bigger fight to get away from you now that she’s listed herself as his property.”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “Soundwave, we need to talk about this along with a few other matters in a more private location…or without those two around.”  
Soundwave: “Understood.”  
Megatron: (Angry) “Now; tell your son to release mine!”  
  
 _Soundwave nods. He approaches Alpha and yanks Gama away from him, before punching Alpha in the abdomen once Gama was at a safe distance._  
  
Soundwave: (Angry) “Alpha, you’re giving Gama and Megatron what they asked for; for FREE.”  
Alpha: (Shocked) “What?!”  
Soundwave: (Angry) “You’re also paying me double the rent for this quarter. Beta; you’re grounded for letting Alpha do this.”  
Beta: (Whining) “But dad…” _  
  
Soundwave coughs sharply, folding his arms as his sons remove themselves from the booth.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Coldly) “Go to your rooms now.”  
Alpha: (Whining) “But dad…”  
Soundwave: (Shouting) “NOW.”  
  
 _Alpha and Beta cower before running from the area, allowing Soundwave to sit in the booth himself to look through the bag of Dark Energon and Credits on the table. Megatron eyes Soundwave as he takes a seat next to him, with Gama avoiding making eye-contact with either of them as he sat down as well.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Quietly) “You wanted to talk, Megatron?”  
Megatron: (Stern) “That I did.”  
  
 _Megatron says nothing else, and watches Soundwave who continues to count the Credits._  
  
Soundwave: (Quietly) “…well?”  
Megatron: “I need your full attention, to ensure you’re actually listening.”  
  
 _Soundwave stops counting the Credits and stares at Megatron in silence, pushing the pile aside and leaning closer to Megatron for further discretion.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Quietly) “I’m always listening.”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “I want to know a few things about the Decepticons currently enslaved on Cybertron and anywhere else in the Galaxy.”  
Soundwave: (Quietly) “Such as?”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “Where they are, what the security is like, how they are treated and so on.”  
 _  
Soundwave nods and moves back to get comfortable in his seat.  
  
_ Soundwave: “I can do better than just tell you those things; I can give you paperwork and other documents…now to make this a bit easier…”  
 _  
Soundwave retracts his faceplate and opens his chest compartment, pulling out some papers to toss onto the table. Megatron recovers the papers and examines them.  
  
_ Soundwave: “I have Profiles, Transfer Documents, Medical Records, Security Levels and Shift hours for every Decepticon on Cybertron right there. It’s all in Alphabetical order, with the highest security levelled members at the top and lowest security at the bottom.”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “Would your Casseticons be on the bottom of the pile by any chance?”  
  
 _Soundwave glares at Megatron, who continues to slowly shuffle through the documents.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Coldly) “What are you suggesting?”  
Megatron: (Distracted) “Oh, just curious…you adopted them all and then tossed them aside when you got Alpha and Beta.”  
Soundwave: “I didn’t just toss them aside, Megatron.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “I beg to differ.”  
Soundwave: (Coldly) “Oh? What do you think I did it for then? Give me your reason.”  
Megatron: “You did what any natural parent would do; pay full care and attention to your own metal and Energon, and leave the adopted to look after themselves…but…”  
Soundwave: (Muttering) “…but?”  
Megatron: “You had a chance to keep them close, but you let them slip into Autobot Slavery. My question here is why.”  
Soundwave: (Growling) “I told them they could do what they wanted with their lives, I no longer could tell them what to do or what not to do…”  
  
 _Megatron puts the documents onto the table again with a heavy slam.  
  
_ Megatron: (Angry) “So you just allowed them to waltz into slavery?!”  
Soundwave: (Quietly) “…I tried to stop them, but Rumble was quite firm in keeping the ‘not listening anymore’ factor going.”  
Megatron: (Muttering) “So they felt angry when you let them go…and wouldn’t listen anymore…”  
Soundwave: “Yes.”  
  
 _Megatron takes the documents up again and begins reading through them once more.  
  
_ Megatron: (Quietly) “I know that all the Predacons and Terracons have the Highest Security levels, but we don’t need them just yet…”  
Soundwave: “Actually, Sixshot is the one with the Highest Security.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “…Sixshot? I thought he was executed.”  
Soundwave: (Quietly) “That’s what the Titrons want everyone to think; Sixshot was actually relocated to a hidden location on Earth, put into a sleep and is now being studied in secret. The Autobots believe Sixshot is dead, just like Thundercracker wanted them to believe.”  
 _  
Gama raises his head and shows interest in what is being discussed.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Quietly) “But that’s not all; when Sixshot was captured the Titrons also captured his gang.”  
Megatron: (Curious) “…gang?”  
Soundwave: (Quietly) “Sixshot was avoiding capture ever since he left the Decepticons; when the faction finally broke apart he took some of the stragglers to form a small gang with, which he used to attack cargo ships and other vessels. Twenty percent of the gang was incarcerated, ten percent executed and the rest are all working in mines or other slave departments.”  
Gama: (Stern) “…I want their records.”  
  
 _Megatron and Soundwave look towards Gama, who coughs and tries to make no eye contact.  
  
_ Megatron: “Why do you want scum, who ran with a traitor like Sixshot?”  
Gama: (Stern) “They didn’t run with him when he left, they ran with him when they had no faction to stay with anymore.”  
  
 _Megatron thinks to himself quietly.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Quietly) “If it makes you feel any better, Megatron, Trypticon was one of the gang members.”  
Megatron & Gama: (In Unison) “T-Trypticon?!”  
Soundwave: “Affirmative; he was the gangs’ base, which is why they always evaded capture since they’d be able to move without any trouble.”  
Megatron: (Shocked) “W-where is Trypticon now?!”  
Soundwave: (Quietly) “Slave to the Autobots; he’s been stuck in City Mode for the past two years since they removed his Transformation Cog.”  
Gama: (Shocked) “Trypticon on our side, father, would give us a huge amount of power. I think we should go for Sixshots gang members before we gather any other individuals.”  
  
 _Megatron thinks again, eyeing Gama as he thinks._  
  
Megatron: “Alright…give me all the documents for all the Gang members.”  
Soundwave: (Curious) “Why all of them?”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “We’re reforming the Decepticon Empire…and we need the big guns to get things going.”  
Soundwave: “Uh…Megatron…I technically work for the Titrons now, so I could get you incarcerated for that.”  
  
 _Gama slams his fists onto the table.  
  
_ Gama: (Angry) “We don’t care; now give us the documents!”  
  
 _Soundwave and Megatron blink at Gama in shock. Shockwave enters the club and catches sight of the trio, and approaches the booth.  
  
_ Shockwave: “My lords, I received a transmission from an Autobot vessel that is approaching Monacus…from what I could gather from the transmission, it seems we’re being followed.” _  
_  
 _Megatron growls and looks to Soundwave, suspecting him.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Annoyed) “Don’t look at me like that, I never sent out any transmissions.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “And you can prove this?”  
Shockwave: “Sire, the transmissions were of Autobot origin, which means Soundwave did not send any messages.”  
Megatron: (Muttering) “Understood.”  
Gama: (Stern) “But this means we have to haul up, grab our stuff and get the hell out of here.”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “Oh yes, sir…*cough* (Stern) Yes sirs, the new ship should be loaded with our weapons and ammunition now.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Soundwave; the documents.”  
  
 _Megatron and Gama get out of their seats, looking down to Soundwave who was still holding on to the Sixshot-Gang documents.  
  
_ Soundwave: “…the Decepticon cause is not something I want to be a part of anymore, Megatron. I just want to stay here with my sons.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “You don’t have to come back, just give us the documents.”  
  
 _Soundwave sighs and hands Megatron the documents, who then hands them to Shockwave.  
  
_ Megatron: “Shockwave, begin pinpointing these Decepticons locations; we need to start rounding them up immediately.”  
Shockwave: (Bowing) “Right away, sire.”  
Megatron: “Gama; you’re going to be inducted into the role of Leader from now until your coronation can take place.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “Y-yes father.”  
  
 _Megatron waves Gama to follow him, nodding to Soundwave as his farewell, before heading outside with Shockwave and Gama beside him._  
  
Megatron: (Stern) “Once you’ve passed the induction, I’ll give you my helmet; the one my father gave to me…and his father gave to him.”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “It is a truly magnificent helmet, sire…the Prince will look stunning with it on.” _  
  
Megatron raises a brow and looks to Shockwave, who sweats and regains his composure, whilst his masters’ eyes carefully scanned him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “N-not that he didn’t look magnificent to begin with, sire.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “…as I was saying…Gama, when you are crowned, you’ll need to remove your old helmet and break it down into a smaller one for your own son to use before he can be crowned.”  
Gama: “A-alright.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “And you’ll need to maintain a stiff upper lip to keep command; if you show signs of weakness as leader it will give traitors like Sixshot a window of opportunity to steal your position as Leader.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “Y-yes sir.”  
Shockwave: “Sire, can we discuss this when we’re a safe distance away from the Autobots? I feel somewhat nervous…”  
Megatron: (Nodding) “Good idea, Shockwave. Let’s pick up the pace, shall we?”  
  
  _Later on board the new spaceship; Shockwave is sat at the helm of the spacecraft inputting coordinates for their destinations. First on their list were the lowest Security Levelled members of Sixshots gang; the Coneheads Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet.  
Megatron sits in the captains chair in deep thought, with Gama stood close beside him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “We should arrive at the last location of the Coneheads within the next few minutes, sire.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Good; be sure to get ready to input the next set of coordinates before we land, Shockwave. Once I gather them up we will need to depart.”  
Shockwave: (VO) “Yes, sir.” _  
  
Gama leans closer to his father to talk to him a little more quietly, with Megatron still keeping a militant expression in his deep thought.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “…why just you, father?”  
Megatron: “Hm?”  
Gama: (Quietly/Nervous) “W-why is it just you going to gather the Coneheads? Why can’t I come?”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “Because, unlike you, the Coneheads will respect me more as I am still the one wearing the crown. There will be no arguments from them and no more from you…now…did you finish reading your vows?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “Y-yes sir.”  
Megatron: (Quietly) “Recite them.”  
  
 _Gama flinches and looks to Shockwave, who was still busy manning the helm, before looking back at Megatron and laughing nervously.  
  
_ Megatron: (Annoyed) “If you cannot recite your speech in front of me and Shockwave, then you’ll never be able to do it in front of your troops. Go and learn it.”  
Gama: (Meekly) “I k-know it already it’s just…well…”  
  
 _Megatron raises a brow and turns to make eye-contact with Gama.  
  
_ Megatron: (Curious) “…dare I ask why you’re so nervous to recite them?”  
Gama: (Blushing) “I’ll just…never be able to do it as good as you…S-Shockwave will laugh at me.”  
  
 _Megatron groans and rubs his eyes.  
  
_ Megatron: (Groaning) “Sweet Primus…it’s like talking to your mother.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “E-excuse me?”  
Megatron: (Teasing) “I can’t do that because you’ll laugh at me. I can’t do that because he can do it better. I can’t do that…I can’t do that…can’t, can’t, can’t, can’t, CAN’T.”  
Gama: “Huh?”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “Every time I asked your mother to do something, she’d complain saying that she’d either be laughed at for doing that task, fail at the task, or will ‘forget’ what the task actually was. She was afraid of failure, and because of that she very rarely tried to do anything…evasion of risk or some kind of ‘self-preservation’ is what Shockwave called it.”  
Gama: (Confused) “But mother is a Breeder…they’ll avoid anything that could put their lives in danger to ensure they can breed later, since they’re pathetic fighters.”  
 _  
Megatron nods and leans closer to Gama.  
  
_ Megatron: (Coldly) “Then ask yourself this; do you really want to end up like that?”  
 _  
Gama blinks.  
  
_ Megatron: (Coldly) “Running away from others, afraid of failure and confronting your problems head on, a neediness to hide away and cling onto a more powerful figure.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I’m not a breeder.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Then recite your vows; now.”  
  
 _Gama twitches and pulls back from his father, rubbing his arms nervously.  
  
_ Megatron: (Chuckling) “Why are you so afraid of Shockwave anyway Gama? You wouldn’t allow him to keep you company or accompany us to that meeting on Monacus; are you trying to avoid him?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “I-I…I c-can’t…I m-mean…”  
  
 _Megatron groans again and relaxes in his seat.  
  
_ Megatron: (Shouting) “Shockwave; get this boy to recite his vows to Leadership for me. I do not want to hear this jabbering any longer as it annoys me horribly.”  
Shockwave: (VO) “M-me? Why do you ask sire?”  
Megatron: (Growling) “Do not question me! Do as I command!”  
Shockwave: (VO/Nervous) “O-of course sir! Right away sir! What did you want me to do sir?!”  
  
 _Megatron growls and gets out of the captains chair, wandering to Shockwave who had only just turned around to see what was going on; the instant Shockwave caught a glimpse of Megatron, he began to wish he hadn’t, for once he made eye-contact Shockwave was kicked from his seat and was about to be beaten by his master.  
  
_ Gama: (Shouting) “S-stop that! Shockwave didn’t do anything wrong!”  
  
 _Megatron looks back to Gama and snorts, backing away from Shockwave who refused to get up from the floor with his master so close to him.  
  
_ Megatron: (Stern) “The vows, right now, or I’ll beat the both of you until you beg for your mothers.” _  
  
Gama bows his head as Megatron returns to his seat, and nervously begins his speech. Half-way through the speech however, Gama had to stop and allow his father to gather the Coneheads.  
Dirge, Ramjet and Thrust were a part of Crasher’s old gang, with Ramjet being captured whilst his two comrades joined Sixshots new gang. When all three had been captured, they served the Autobots as ‘delivery boys’ for small cargo; they’d have fled if they could, but with a guidance chip installed into their navigation system meant they’d stick to their designated path no matter how much they wanted to fly away.  
The Coneheads were smuggled on board the ship using the guise of being transferred to another delivery unit, with Megatron using the fake clearance documents and security cards Shockwave had made for him.  
Once the Coneheads were on board Megatron requested the next target; squad units B and C, consisting of average to high-ranking Decepticons, all of which were currently working on a mining planet not too far from Cybertron. Megatron could not gather both squads by himself and so Shockwave was assisting him in gathering the squads and keeping the Autobots (who managed the squads) quiet and out of the way.  
After the squads had been gathered, the Coneheads, the remnants of the Insecticons and (with luck) the Sweeps; Megatron desired to obtain the ‘big-guns’, leaving his son and trusty commander in charge of the new group.  
Megatron sits in the Captains chair again, with Gama and Shockwave beside him as other crew members maintained the ship. Shockwave is reading though the Documents Soundwave gave them, whilst Gama eagerly awaits the completion of their gathering.  
  
_ Megatron: (Militant) “We have all our needed ship crew, some gunmen, scouts and scientists…but we’re missing three important members to make this group run at one hundred percent.”  
Gama: “That’s a Scouting Captain, Fleet Commander and ‘the big muscles’, right?”  
Megatron: (Nodding) “That’s right; Scourge, Cyclonus, the Terracons and Trypticon.”  
Shockwave: (Working) “According to the level of security in all three areas they are located in, our best bet would be to work as a duo again my Lord to obtain Scourge and Cyclonus.”  
  
 _Megatron presses a few buttons on the captains’ chair._  
  
Megatron: (Stern) “I’m going alone this time, Shockwave.”  
Shockwave: (Shocked) “W-what?!”

 _Megatron bolts his attention to Shockwave, who bows his head in shame as if afraid to make eye-contact, which causes Megatron to glare at him.  
  
_ Megatron: (Stern) “I am not that pathetic fool I once was, Shockwave…I do not require you or Soundwaves help anymore in such a simple task.”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “Y-yes sir, I’m sorry for doubting you sir.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “Erase any further doubt from your head before I return; watch Gama and make sure he does not leave the ship either.”  
  
 _Shockwave salutes and accidently slaps himself in the face, growling in annoyance as the documents in his saluting hand fell onto the floor. Shockwave maintains his salute as Megatron leaves the Bridge, before entering a panic and gathering the scattered documents on the floor once he was certain Megatron was gone.  
Gama tilts his head and watches his supervisor in interest, listening carefully to what he was muttering about whilst gathering the papers.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Muttering) “…*mumble*…still a fool…*mumble*…going to get killed this time…*mumble*…Daddy’s not here to save you now…*mumble*”  
  
 _Gama blinks in surprise and tilts his head to the opposite side as Shockwave stands up, reorganising the papers with his back turned to Gama.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “…you’ve known my father for a long time, haven’t you Shockwave?”  
  
 _Shockwave jumps and nearly drops the papers again in shock, recovering his composure only slightly to look behind him._

Shockwave: (Nervous) “I-I have, sire.”  
  
 _Shockwave struggles to keep the papers from falling out of his arms as he tries to tidy them back into a neat pile. Gama places his hands on his hips and shakes his head, ‘tsk’ing at Shockwave who tried to pick up the dropped documents again only to cause more to fall.  
  
_ Gama: (Calmly) “You’re not very relaxed, are you?”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “T-today has been somewhat pressing, sire.”  
Gama: (Sighing) “Because my father yelled at you?”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “Well…I’m use to him being like that, sire. N-now I need to tidy up these documents again…”  
  
 _Shockwave continues to try gathering the papers, pulling back in surprise as Gama began picking them up beside him._  
  
Gama: (Chuckling) “Here, I’ll help you with that.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “S-sire…you shouldn’t be---”  
Gama: “Helping my crew?”  
Shockwave: (Meekly) “I’m below you in rank, sire…you should be kicking at me, telling me I’m worthless.”  
Gama: (Whining) “Stop with the frail little weakling act, Shockwave. I remember how you behaved when we were alone in that dwelling together; and you were by no means frail or weak.”  
  
 _Shockwave stops what he is doing and stares at Gama.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Curious) “…you remember it.”  
  
 _Gama stops gathering the papers and stares vacantly at the floor in shock, realising what he had just said.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “You could have pointed out how I behaved at the Space Bridge Checkpoint or back when you were younger as examples for how I really behave…but you chose that memory over everything else.”  
  
 _Gama cautiously peeks at Shockwave, who is staring directly at him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Purring) “I…wonder why that is, sire.” _  
  
Gama growls and gathers the papers again, but much faster.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “It means nothing! I just…t-thought back to a recent memory is all!”  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “Then why not when I was bringing in Squad B and C with your father? That memory should be more recent.”  
 _  
Gama growls deeply, standing upright with the documents he’d gathered in his hands, before shoving them into Shockwaves arms angrily.  
  
_ Gama: (Angry) “Why should you care?! A-and why did you try to put up that weakling act anyway?! How the FUCK could you be so clumsy and drop all those documents which you handled so calmly earlier?!”  
Shockwave: (Calmly) “No need for your temper, sire.”  
Gama: (Angry) “Temper?! Damn it Shockwave; you haven’t even SEEN my temper!!”  
  
 _Gama kicks at Shockwave who stumbles back slightly._  
  
Shockwave: (Meekly) “…I’m sorry sire.”  
Gama: (Growling) “You better be.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “I just…don’t want you to let your anger control you, sire. I worry about it sometimes.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “A waste of your time worrying about me; I’m mature, big and strong, smart and skilled. The only worrying you should be doing is worrying about how long your head will keep your body company.”  
Shockwave: “But…sire…”  
Gama: (Groaning) “Vector Sigma; you’re so annoying!”  
  
 _Shockwave looks away, blushing, struggling to keep all the documents in his arms._  
  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “S-sire…I know you’re not in a good mood now because of what has been said…but I could use the extra hands to take these papers to the filing room.”  
Gama: (Muttering/Angry) “Do it yourself, you pervert.”  
  
 _Shockwave sighs heavily and places the documents onto a nearby desk.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Gama, it was a simple request.”  
Gama: (Snobbishly) “You will only address me as ‘sire’ or ‘Gamatron’.”  
  
 _Shockwave groans, face-palms, and then returns his gaze to Gama.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “Alright ‘sire’…I simply requested assistance, but if you do not wish to help, then I’ll go by myself…”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Good.”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “But hear this; you assume I am the perverted one, but who was it that refused to fight back? Who is it that is lying to Megatron about his sexuality, and the REAL reason he has no heir?”  
Gama: (Growling) “Take your papers and GO.”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “I’ll continue with my duties, sire, but heed this warning; your lies can only go so high, stand for so long, before they all collapses into something you may struggle to deal with. When that happens, you can come to me anytime.”  
  
 _Gama bears his fangs at Shockwave, who raises his arms in defeat before gathering the documents and heading to the doors.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Calling) “You know who else sat on a throne of lies, sire; do not end up like him.”

 _Gama hisses as he watches Shockwave leave the room, throwing himself into the Captains chair once he was certain he had left.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “I’m no traitor like THAT freak, Shockwave…I’m strong and loyal like my father.”  
  
 _Gama huffs as he turns to look at the crew, who had all stopped working temporarily to watch Gama and Shockwave argue. Gama bears his fangs and releases a low roar, causing the crew to rush back to work.  
Shockwave returned once he’d filed the documents, to find Gama snoozing in the Captains chair…or so he believed.  
Once Shockwave got close enough, Gama’s eye bolted open and he turned to make eye-contact with the larger Decepticon.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “The paperwork is done, I hope.”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “Yes sir.”  
Gama: “Good. You are dismissed.”  
  
 _Gama turns to look at the busy crew, nervous to look back at Shockwave who had refused to move.  
  
_ Gama: (Nervous) “D-didn’t you hear me? You’re dismissed.”  
  
 _Shockwave kneels beside Gama, trying to look at his face.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “…go away.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “Did you think about what I said, sire?”  
  
 _Gama turns in the chair to look away from Shockwave even more, but Shockwave shuffled himself to try and make eye-contact again, causing Gama great annoyance._  
  
Gama: (Muttering) “Leave me alone.”  
Shockwave: “I can’t do that, sir.”  
Gama: (Growling) “I order you to---”  
Shockwave: “Sire, until you’re crowned Leader you cannot cast me aside like that. Also, your father ordered me to watch you.”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “…I can tell you more about your father if you want, sire…just to, perhaps, lighten the mood a bit?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I’m not an infant, I don’t need your stories anymore.” _  
  
Shockwave looks away, blushing slightly.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Meekly) “Ah true, sire…you’re not an infant anymore…you’re a mature adult.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “That’s right; I’m an adult, so treat me like one.”  
  
 _Shockwave stands up and leans against a nearby desk, fidgeting with his claws whilst eyeing Gama, who refused to look at him and instead tried watching the crew working.  
An awkward silence drifts between Gama and Shockwave, with one refusing to look at the other, whilst said other was constantly staring back.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Slyly) “You wish for me to treat you like an adult now, sire?”  
Gama: (Cautious) “…what are you suggesting, Shockwave?”  
Shockwave: (Teasing) “Well…we could, perhaps, ‘play’ like adults, sire.”  
 _  
Gama twitches and remains silent.  
  
_ Shockwave: “I’ll take that as a definite ‘no’, sire.”  
  
 _The awkward silence returns, with Shockwave shifting from the desk to the nearby window to look outside, his back turned on Gama. Curiously, Gama turns to look at Shockwave, before bolting his attention forwards again once he saw Shockwave sneak a peek over his shoulder.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “…you know, sire…you look an awful lot like your father back in his youthful days.”  
  
 _Gama refuses to speak or look at Shockwave, who had not removed his gaze from him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I still remember when we first met, sire…both your father and you.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “So you’re an old pervert then.”  
Shockwave: (VO) “I heard that.”  
  
 _Gama flinches as he hears Shockwave approaching, and refuses to turn and look at him._  
  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “…and I’m not old, sire. I’m actually younger than your father.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “But you’re still a pervert.”   
Shockwave: (Purring) “I can be whatever you want me to be, sire.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Then make like an asteroid and crash yourself into a planet, get out of my sight.”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “An asteroid does not always crash into a planet, sire. It may burn through a planets’ atmosphere into dust, it could be catapulted from orbit back into space, or perhaps it may crash into another asteroid and either become a giant asteroid OR break up and create…little asteroids.”  
Gama: “…I have three letters for that answer of yours…w, t, f.”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “Let me try something else then to explain my track of thought, sire.”  
Gama: (Loudly) “No thank you! I understood! Now LEAVE.”  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “Two letters for you as an answer, sire…n, o.”  
  
 _Gama growls deeply as he feels Shockwaves claws slowly tap over his helmet, getting closer to his shoulders.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Stop that.”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “And why, sire?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Because I don’t like it.”  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “Oh, but when you’re so close to someone, like I am to you and your father sire, you learn more about the individual. And I know from past experiences that you LOVE this treatment.”  
  
 _Gama bears his fangs and snarls, but Shockwave continues to tap his claws down from his shoulder to his arms.  
  
_ Gama: (Snarling) “N-nonsense! I never liked this treatment!!”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “Then why condone it now, sire? You could easily slap my hands away, but you do not.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Because…”  
  
 _Shockwave chuckles, slowly tapping his claws back up Gama’s arms towards his helmet again._  
  
Shockwave: (Softly) “The itsy-bitsy spider, crawled up the water spout…”  
 _  
Gama blushes as Shockwave nuzzles his helmet, shivering as Shockwaves claws continued to crawl up his arms simulating the ‘spider’.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “…down came the rain that washed the spider out…”  
  
 _Shockwave suddenly brushes his hands down Gama’s arms.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “N-no Shockwave…s-stop…”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “Out came the sun that dried up all the rain…and…”  
  
 _Gama gasps as he feels Shockwave tap his claws across Gama’s lap, softly purring beside him. However, Gama breathes a sigh of relief once Shockwave pulled back from him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Chuckling) “My point was just proven, sire. You approve of this treatment.”  
Gama: (Growling) “N-nonsense…”  
  
 _Shockwave chuckles again and sits beside the captains chair, looking at Gama lovingly.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “When you were a youngster, and we trained together, sire…do you not remember the games we played when your father was not looking?”  
  
 _Gama remains silent and looks towards Shockwave for a second, before looking away once he made eye-contact._  
 _  
_Gama: (Nervous) “…I…I do. Hide and Seek was our favourite.”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “Your fathers favourite game, Gamatron, was called…’Uncle’.”  
Gama: (Curious) “…uncle?”  
Shockwave: (Meekly) “He’d hit me and Soundwave until we couldn’t take it anymore, and we cried ‘Uncle’ to tell him we had given up. He never played fairly now that I remember it…”  
Gama: “You expected a Leader Class to allow you to beat him up? You’re foolish.”  
Shockwave: (Meekly) “Well…we figured…that since we where his close friends we could maybe…”  
Gama: “No chance. His father would have pulverised you anyway if you tried.”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “Well…you see, Gamatron…there’s the problem…an accident happened whilst he was young and it got his father killed.”  
  
 _Gama blinks in surprise, recalling Shockwave muttering something along those lines earlier, deciding now to turn and make eye-contact. The moment their eyesight lined up, Shockwave blushed.  
  
_ Gama: (Shocked) “So that’s why my father never talked about Grandfather…”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “T-that is right, sire. The incident changed his life.”  
Gama: (Curious) “…can you tell me more about it?”  
  
 _Shockwave fidgets with his claws, looking around nervously.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “W-well…I see no harm…since he’s not here or…”  
 _  
Suddenly the Bridge doors open, and in storms Megatron and his new Air Commander; Cyclonus. Megatron immediately pushes Gama from the captains chair and begins barking orders to the crew, with Shockwave hauling Gama from the floor.  
  
_ Megatron: (Shouting) “Full speed ahead; next stop is at coordinates X two, two three six. Y five, one, one eight nine! Scourge will be recovered by me and Cyclonus, so no requests on joining us!”  
 _  
Megatron slams a fist onto the chair.  
  
_ Megatron: (Shouting) “SHOCKWAVE.”  
  
 _Shockwave meekly approaches Megatron, fidgeting with his claws again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “M-my lord.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Take Gama to his quarters, there are things I need to discuss with Cyclonus about the coronation…without Gama overhearing any of the planning procedures.” _  
  
Shockwave bows lightly and begins backing away.  
  
_ Megatron: (Calling) “Oh and Shockwave…”  
  
 _Shockwave stops.  
  
_ Megatron: (Smirking) “He’s for you to look after from now on, until he is crowned.”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “T-thank you sir, I’ll do what needs to be done to the best of my abilities sir.”  
Megatron: “Dismissed.”  
  
 _Shockwave grabs onto Gama’s arms and hauls him from the Bridge, heading down to Gama’s quarters.  
  
_ Gama: (Whining) “W-what the hell is going on?!”  
Shockwave: “Your father is making special arrangements with Cyclonus for your coronation, events he does not wish for you to know about, sire.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “He…he wouldn’t…?!”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “Shhh!”  
  
 _Shockwave covers Gama’s mouth with his hand and stops walking, looking around his surroundings for any spies. Once the coast was clear, Shockwave removes his hand from Gama’s mouth.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Okay Cyclops, you have an answer to what the fuck is going on…and I want to hear it right now.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “I’m not supposed to say anything, sire…it breeches the coronation ceremonial traditions if I tell you.”  
Gama: (Growling) “And I don’t give a damn about those things; I just want answers.”  
  
 _Shockwave looks around again, before leaning in close to Gama.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Whispering) “He’s arranging a potential challenger to arrive at the coronation, for you to fight.”  
Gama: “…that’s stupid; he knows how stupid that is right?”  
Shockwave: (Whispering) “The new Leader Class offspring must fight one another for the right to become Leader, you know that right?”  
Gama: (Stern) “I do.”  
Shockwave: (Whispering) “Well you never had that competition, so to prove you’re ready and strong enough to become Leader; your father will bring a strong adversary for you to fight. This will prove to him and everyone else that you have what it takes to lead.”  
  
 _Gama blinks.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Whispering) “So you understand now? There is no assassination or the like…”  
Gama: (Cautious) “…I…believe you…for now anyway.”  
Shockwave: “I am glad our minds connected, sire.”  
  
 _Gama pulls himself away from Shockwave and continues walking to his quarters, with Shockwave following close by.  
  
_ Gama: “You still need to tell me that story, about my Grandfather.”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “O-of course, sire…I can tell you now I suppose.”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “How about we talk over a glass of Energon or two? I need the extra energy…”  
  
 _Shockwave blinks and blushes slightly.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “A…a d-date sire?”  
  
 _Gama also blinks and blushes, before bearing his fangs at Shockwave and hissing.  
  
_ Gama: (Angry) “N-no! Not a date! Just a casual chat!!”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “Oh…I see…”  
  
 _Gama stops in front of his door and tries to open it, but it continuously repeats ‘access denied’ to him.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “Stupid door keeps locking me out! And father won’t let me break the door down!”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Allow me to have a look, sire.”  
  
 _Shockwave moves Gama aside and kneels to the doors lock, raising his left arm and making use of his utility ability; he changes his clawed hand into a surgical tool, lightly using the tool to pick the lock of the door until it finally slid open.  
  
_ Gama: (Awed) “…you’re left-handed?”  
Shockwave: “I can use both hands, sire, but with it still attached to my arm I would rather stick to using the left one.”  
Gama: (Awed) “Very impressive handiwork too…I think you broke the lock but at least the door didn’t fall off.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “A compliment, sire? I…I think I’m blushing.”  
 _  
Gama blushes also, but is quick to shake his head of any emotions before opening the door and entering the room.  
  
_ Gama: (VO) “Just get in here and start talking; you know what makes my father tick, and I want to know those things too.”  
  
 _Inside the room; Shockwave sits calmly beside a desk whilst Gama is by the storage compartment of his room, searching for some Energon in the cooler.  
  
_ Gama: (Distracted) “Regular Energon alright for you? I don’t have any good Energon in here.” _  
  
Shockwave fidgets with his claws, meekly looking up at Gama every now and then, but he says nothing. Gama pulls out a bottle of Energon and sets it on top of the cooler, before kneeling down to find some for himself next.  
  
_ Gama: (Distracted) “Regular it is then.” _  
_Shockwave: (Quietly) “…I…I do hope you have no Dark Energon in there, sire.”  
  
 _Gama does not answer and continues to search the cooler, keeping an awkward silence in the room until he had found what he wanted._  
 _  
_Gama: (Distracted) “So start from the beginning, Shockwave; as far back as you can remember about the day my Grandfather died.”  
  
 _Shockwave rubs the back of his head and mutters to himself, looking away from Gama once he had turned around to see what Shockwave was up to.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Speak up.” _  
  
Gama opens the bottles of Energon and sets them on the desk, returning to the cooler to close the door and to obtain a drinking glass.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “Well…sire…the thing is…I do not know where your Grandfather was before the accident happened. I was with your father, Soundwave and some other Sparklings all day.”  
  
 _Gama sets the glass beside Shockwave and takes a seat opposite him, taking up the bottle of Energon he had obtained for himself and preparing to drink directly from it.  
  
_ Gama: “Just say as much as you can.”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Sire, might I inspect that bottle?”  
Gama: (Coldly) “No, you may not.”  
 _  
Shockwave quickly snatches out the bottle from Gama’s hand and takes a drop of the Energon onto one of his claws, sniffing it and tasting it carefully, before shivering.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Disgusted) “Dark Energon…ugh…”  
Gama: (Growling) “Give it back.”  
Shockwave: (Angry) “Your father will be ashamed to hear you’ve been spiking your drinks with Dark Energon! I should go and tell him this right now!”  
 _  
Gama squints and looks around nervously, whilst Shockwave locks a sharp glare onto him and stands up, walking back to the cooler to close the bottle up again before returning to his seat.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “But I won’t tell him. Instead, I’m confiscating this Dark Energon and searching your room once we’re done here so I can confiscate any other stashes you have hiding around. I’m not doing it to make you angry; I’m doing it because I care about your health and your recovery from potential Dark Energon addiction.”  
  
 _Gama lowers his head in shame.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “Your grandfather, Natron, was a Simutronic addict…and he eventually quit it; for your fathers sake.”  
Gama: (Curious) “…my father?”  
Shockwave: “Simutron leaves the user confused and near totally unaware of their surroundings; they become sitting ducks. In worst case scenarios, the user may become paranoid or aggressive. And from what I can remember, your father use to be shot at by Natron as a result of the side-effects of his addiction. Natron use to believe Megatron was going to kill him, or turn into a traitor and move to the Autobots, all because of his drug-induced paranoia.”  
  
 _Gama blinks and tilts his head, watching Shockwave pour out a glass of normal Energon for himself and handing Gama the rest of it in the bottle.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “Now back on the subject of this ‘accident’…”  
  
 _Gama takes the Energon and sips it in silence as the scene fades into darkness.  
  
_ (FLASHBACK)  
  
 _Scene fades in on Cybertron, where a very young Shockwave and Soundwave are sat with other Sparklings, watching a Teaching Drone as it begins lecturing them. Shockwave is smaller than Soundwave.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I and Soundwave were at the Education Centre in District Seven, as all Sparklings should have been, even your fathers surviving brothers were with us…but unlike the rest of us, Megatron wasn’t attending classes.”  
 _  
The Drone makes a sound and all the Sparklings get to their feet and rush outside to begin playing, with Shockwave and Soundwave standing together looking for Megatron.  
  
_ Young Shockwave: “He didn’t come…again.”  
Soundwave: (Shrugging) “He probably fell down a hole again or something, you know he doesn’t like to stick to the rules.”  
Young Shockwave: (Nervous) “I…I’m worried this time though, Soundwave…normally Mega would show up after class finished to say he found something to show us, but he’s not even here…what if he got abducted? Or what if Natron got back onto the stuff, which made him angry all the time, again?”  
  
 _Soundwave shakes his head and rubs it tiredly, whilst the young Shockwave buries his head in his claws, whimpering.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Sighing) “You want to go look for him…”  
 _  
The young Shockwave nods. Soundwave mutters to himself and shakes his head, causing the young Shockwave to cry a little. Soundwave mutters to himself again and kicks his feet into the floor, before pouting and patting Shockwave on the head.  
_  
Soundwave: “Alright, fine…we’ll go look for him.”  
Young Shockwave: (Sweetly) “Really?”  
Soundwave: (Annoyed) “Affirmative.”  
 _  
The young Shockwave chirps playfully at Soundwave before climbing under the Education Centres fencing, in search of Megatron.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “Lord Megatron…or just ‘Mega’ back then…was constantly off exploring and trying to find trouble, just to prove to his father that he was the best choice at becoming the new Decepticon Leader over his brothers. But back then, there were more of the Leader Class breed around, including full-grown adults who would do anything to become the new Leader…including the slaughtering of a rivals offspring.”  
  
 _The two Sparklings climb and crawl over terrain, before passing through the bustling crowds of Cybertronians within the District.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “District Seven was just south of Kaon; it was a busy and active spot for any Cybertronian seeking thrills and adventure. When us Decepticons took over Kaon, we also claimed District Seven and turned it into a Re-Educational facility. The hustle and bustle of the streets meant we could easily get lost.”  
  
 _The Sparklings make it out of the crowds and wander out of the District, with the city of Kaon in view in the distance.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “But District Seven didn’t have enough danger for the likes of Megatron; his father’s ‘turf’ was all of District Seven, so no rival Leader Class males lived within its boundaries…however…”  
  
 _Soundwave climbs on top of a balcony wall overlooking Kaon as young Shockwave leans against it, panting.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Pointing) “His signal is coming from…Kaon.”  
Young Shockwave: (Panting) “T-that’s crazy…that is…Sixshots…fathers…territory…”  
Soundwave: (Annoyed) “What a completely foolish line of foolish thoughts from a thoroughly foolish fool.”  
 _  
Young Shockwave nods, looking very worried, as Soundwave climbs down from the wall.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Sighing) “We should go back…we may not be Leader Class Sparklings like Mega is, but…”  
Young Shockwave: (Nervous) “…Sixshot and his father would murder us in a flash for fun.”  
Soundwave: (Nodding) “Affirmative, so I say we head back now before anything happens to us; we’re right on the border between District Seven and Kaon.”  
  
 _Young Shockwave shakes his head and climbs onto the wall, looking down to see how far up they were; luckily the fall from the wall would not result in a sheer drop, as the terrain below was tilted up into a hill-like shape, so if he jumped he would roll down with little damage.  
  
_ Soundwave: “H-hey…don’t you think about going down there! The only way back up here without using the train is that pipeline near the Ship Repair Building! If an orderly sees you without an adult you’ll be in real trouble!”  
  
 _Young Shockwave takes in a heave of air, erecting his facemask to cover his face, before leaping down from the wall. Soundwave rushes to the wall and leans over, watching as young Shockwave slams onto the sloped surface and begins tumbling down into the darker outskirts of Kaon. Soundwave groans and erects his faceplate before following young Shockwave into the darkness by controlling himself in sliding motions, rather than the heavy rolls and thuds Shockwave went through in his descent.  
Once at the bottom, Soundwave moves to young Shockwaves side and helps him up, scouting his surroundings cautiously.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “It was dark, it was quiet and it was…frightening…still, we trekked on; following Megatrons signal deeper into Kaon, and with it we got deeper into the danger-zone.”  
 _  
Soundwave and young Shockwave slowly sneak around the darkness of Kaon, eventually finding the location where Megatrons signal was coming from. The duo wound up in an alleyway, with a large door catching their interests; Shockwave retracts his facemask and sniffs, covering his nose immediately after smelling something. Soundwave does the same.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Disgusted) “T-that scent…is that blood?”  
Young Shockwave: (Nervous) “M-maybe we should go?”  
Soundwave: (Gagging) “It’s so powerful I…ugh…can hardly think.”  
  
 _Soundwave quickly erects his faceplate again and grabs onto Shockwaves arms as he tries to leave.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Panting) “Put your mask back on…I know where Mega is.”  
  
 _Soundwave approaches the door, reaching up to open it, when suddenly it opened on its own and out stepped the young Megatron; he was covered in dirt, with some scuff marks and dents in his body, and showed signs of previously crying.  
  
_ Young Shockwave: (Shocked) “M-Mega! You’re alright!”  
  
 _Megatron sniffles and rubs his cheek.  
  
_ Mega: (Quietly) “…he’s hurt real bad.”  
 _  
Soundwave and Shockwave blink, moving closer to Megatron to peek inside the room, but Megatron blocks them.  
  
_ Soundwave: “…what did you do?”  
Mega: (Sniffling) “…I…I…”  
Young Shockwave: (Shocked) “Mega, what did you do? What has happened?”  
 _  
Megatron lowers his arms, allowing Shockwave and Soundwave to rush inside the room. It was pitch black, with the strong smell of Cybertronian-blood. One of the duo turned on the lights, revealing the young Sixshot lying on the floor totally motionless and bleeding heavily.  
Shockwave rushes to the wounded Sixshot and tries to see how badly hurt he was.  
  
_ Young Shockwave: (Nervous) “He needs to see a doctor…and soon.”  
Soundwave: (Angry) “Vector Sigma, Mega!! What made you want to do this?!”  
  
 _Megatron remains motionless in the doorway, his back still turned on the scene.  
  
_ Mega: (Coldly) “…I just…wanted to come here…bring something back to my dad to prove I wasn’t afraid of anything.”  
  
 _Soundwave rushes to Shockwaves side and helps him lift up the injured Sixshot.  
  
_ Mega: (Coldly) “But then I…I smelt him…and I started looking for him…then we…we…”  
  
 _Soundwave ‘tsk’s and helps Shockwave to slowly escort Sixshot out of the room, forcing Megatron to move aside.  
  
_ Young Shockwave: “You just got the urge to attack Sixshot? Where’s the logic in any of that? He was on his turf and you trespassed…so if anyone should have attacked it should have been him or his father attacking you.”  
Mega: (Coldly) “…it is proof that I am a worthy heir. I am brave and courageous like my dad.”  
Soundwave: (Annoyed) “You’re a foolish fool with foolish ideas and beliefs, Mega.”  
Young Shockwave: (Stuttering) “A-and your father even s-said…um…”  
Soundwave: (Reciting) “It was ‘being brave doesn’t mean you go looking for trouble; you defend your people and turf, and do not trespass or invade others’.”  
 _  
Megatron remains silent and follows behind Soundwave and Shockwave, with Sixshot slowly regaining consciousness.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Dazed) “W-where…w-what happened?”  
Soundwave: (Calmly) “We’re taking you to a doctor, Sixshot.”  
Sixshot: (Dazed) “W-what? W-why?”  
Young Shockwave: “You have severe head trauma and bleeding; just relax, we’ll get you on the train and to a doctor right away.”  
 _  
Sixshot groans in pain and tries to walk with the aid of the pair on both sides, only to roar in agony and lift up one of his legs.  
  
_ Soundwave: (Cautious) “That can’t be good.”  
Young Shockwave: “The hydraulic in his left foot is likely broken; he’ll need surgery for that one.”  
Sixshot: (In Pain) “S-Surgery?!”  
Mega: (Coldly) “Put him in the gutter for his dad to clean up; like my dad always said to me ‘the strong survive, the weak perish.’”  
Sixshot: (Growling) “M-Mega…i-if I wasn’t distracted…I’d have cut your throat! T-then it would be YOU in the gutter!”  
Mega: (Laughing) “Rule number one; never let your guard down, ever.”  
Soundwave: “Rule number three; a coward stabs others in the back, so always meet your foe head-on.”  
Mega: (Growling) “Are you calling me a coward, Soundwave?!”  
Young Shockwave: “G-guys…”  
Soundwave: (Bluntly) “Yes.”  
  
 _Young Shockwave whimpers as Soundwave stops assisting in carrying Sixshot, to confront Megatron, and they begin hitting one another.  
  
_ Young Shockwave: (Nervous) “G-guys…please….”  
Soundwave: (Angry) “All you ever do is run off like a fool; chasing shadows, seeking blood on your hands!”  
Mega: (Snarling) “Keep up this attitude and I’ll cripple you!”  
  
 _Sixshot shivers as Shockwave sets him down to rest, with Shockwave turning to Megatron and Soundwave to stop the fight.  
  
_ Young Shockwave: (Shouting) “Alright that’s ENOUGH! I’ve had it!”  
  
 _Shockwave pushes Soundwave away from Megatron, who snarls again at the duo.  
  
_ Young Shockwave: (Sighing) “Mega; we’ve been friends since we all met at the school…we’ve always been there for each other; Soundwave telling us when trouble is coming, you planning our escapes, and me picking the locks and fitting into the small spaces you both can’t go through. Don’t forget about our friendship Mega…”  
Mega: (Snarling) “I don’t need friendship. I’m strong enough to take down the whole universe, so I don’t need you!”  
  
 _Soundwave dusts himself off and helps Sixshot up again.  
  
_ Young Shockwave: (Shocked) “M-Mega…you don’t mean that…”  
Soundwave: (Angry) “Just look at him; stone cold optics, bearing his fangs like a savage. He’s serious, and I say we should just leave him alone.”  
  
 _Soundwave begins escorting Sixshot to the train station, stopping to look at Shockwave after taking a few steps.  
  
_ Soundwave: “Come on!”  
 _  
Young Shockwave ponders for a minute before shaking his head at Soundwave, who groans in annoyance and continues onwards with Sixshot thereby leaving Megatron and Shockwave behind.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I stayed with your father, to try and reason with him, but nothing was getting through. So I said I’d help him get to a doctor too, but still I got a ‘no’ from him.”  
  
 _Young Shockwave sighs in defeat and turns away, walking to the train station by himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I just left him behind, I had to catch the train by myself  and I needed to get back to the Education Centre before my mentor found out I had wandered off…but on my trek back to the station…”  
  
 _Young Shockwave stops walking as he hears a loud ‘thud’ behind him, carefully turning his head to look behind, when out of the corner of his eye he saw the large frame of Sixshots father.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I cowered; since I knew he’d found me by following the scent of his sons blood, and I happened to have it all over my hands and chest from carrying Sixshot around. He thought I had harmed, if not killed, his son and was now seeking revenge. But I was just a Sparkling, and a weak scientist at that, so the only option I had was to run and hide.”  
  
 _Young Shockwave panics as he rushes from Sixshots pursuing father, screaming in terror as he turned every corner expecting a dead-end; eventually he did run into one, and tried to climb it to no avail, and tunnelling was not going to happen for him either. All he could do was turn and watch as the large brute blocked the only exit he had, and cower at every growing footstep made closer towards him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I cried, like a coward, fell to my knees once I realised he would not listen to reason…death was to come next, and I was ready for it.”  
  
 _As the brute prepares to attack, Megatron roars a battle cry and leaps from behind, causing Sixshots father to turn around. The small Megatron hisses and launches his attack on the eyes, clawing and biting at the adults head like a wild animal, until he was finally slapped away and sent crashing into Shockwaves body.  
Megatron falls unconscious, and due to his heavier weight Shockwave struggles to get him off of him. Sixshots father gets even closer and prepares to attack, when suddenly a louder roar is heard and Megatrons father leaps down onto Sixshots father.  
  
_ Natron: (Shouting) “Stay back! Do not move!”  
  
 _Natron launches at Sixshots father and they both fight, with young Shockwave clinging to Megatrons snoozing frame in terror as he witnessed the brutal battle; Cybertronian blood was being splattered, gears falling loose, screams echoing in the alleyway and Shockwave could not look away from any of it no matter how much he wanted to.  
As the battle became more intense, with limbs being severed this time, Shockwave did not notice Megatron slowly waking up, or the strange rumbling sounds happening below them.  
  
_ Mega: (Dazed) “Ugh…that was a bad idea…”  
  
 _Young Shockwave gasps in surprise as Megatron sits upright, rubbing his head. Young Shockwave looks to the battle to see if Megatrons father was winning and sees that Sixshots father was soon planning on retreating, due to the heavy damage being inflicted on him.  
It wasn’t much longer that Sixshots brute of a father fled the scene, leaving a battered and bruised Natron behind to deal with the two Sparklings; Natron picks up his severed right arm and reattaches it on his way back to Megatron and young Shockwave. The rumbling sounds steadily get louder, but nobody other than Shockwave seems to hear them.  
  
_ Mega: (Smug) “You sure showed him, dad! Not that I ever doubt you and---”  
Natron: (Stern) “…Mega, I’m very disappointed in you.”  
  
 _Megatron narrows his eyes and opens his mouth, looking slightly shocked.  
  
_ Mega: (Baffled) “…huh? What did I do?”  
Natron: (Angry) “Straying from our territory into a rival’s territory, knowing all too well where the borders are; you could have been killed!”  
Mega: (Pouting) “But dad I---”  
Natron: (Angry) “And you put Shockwaves life in danger as well!”  
  
 _Megatron lowers his gaze to the floor, looking sorry for himself.  
  
_ Natron: (Angry) “From what Soundwave told me, you also nearly killed Sixshot.”  
 _  
Suddenly Megatron perks up and flashes a smug grin.  
  
_ Natron: (Angry) “Wipe that smirk off your face!”  
Mega: (Whining) “Dad I just---”  
Natron: (Angry) “Be quiet!”  
  
 _Megatron lowers his head again and mutters to himself, kicking the floor beneath him.  
Natron rubs his battle-scarred mouth, removing any blood from it, and nods to Shockwave.  
  
_ Natron: (Stern) “You shouldn’t have strayed off either, Shockwave. But thanks to you and Soundwave I found out about Mega’s childish plan and could come to save him.”  
Young Shockwave: (Meekly) “I’m s-sorry, sir. I’ll go now if you want me to, sir.”  
Natron: (Stern) “No; you’re coming with me, Shockwave. Your mentor will want to know you got back safely.” _  
  
Megatron tries to sneak behind cover, out of Natron’s sight.  
  
_ Natron: (Coldly) “Mega.”  
 _  
Megatron whimpers and moves back into his father’s line of sight, fidgeting with his fingers. The rumbling is much louder, and the ground starts to shake.  
  
_ Young Shockwave: (Nervous) “W-what’s that rumbling sound?”  
Mega: (Annoyed) “You’re crazy; I don’t hear anything.”  
Natron: “It’s likely a small tremor, possibly caused by the demolition work going on in the city, so don’t be scared Shockwave.”  
Young Shockwave: (Meekly) “It sounds like…it’s coming from…below.”  
Natron: (Concerned) “…below?”  
 _  
The rumbling sound is so loud now that even Megatron and Natron can hear it, and the ground shakes violently causing Megatron to stumble and fall onto Shockwave. Natron braces himself so the shaking doesn’t affect him; however, when things seemed to quieten down, a giant Dweller Worm claws its way out of the ground dangerously close to the two Sparklings.  
Megatron cries out in shock and claws his way further back to the wall, as far away from the worm as possible, whilst Shockwave remains sat on the floor staring up at it in awe.  
Natron draws his weapon and prepares to attack the worm, as it began scouting its tendrils for a target.  
  
_ Natron: (Shouting) “Boys; RUN!”  
  
 _Natron attacks the worm, creating an opening for the Sparklings to rush through, but Shockwave remains where he is.  
The worms attacks on Natron became more fierce, and with the prolonging of the battle it began to read Natron’s attack patterns making it easier to counterattack him. The worm drags itself out of its tunnel fully, causing Natron to take the fight onto the street, with Shockwave still sat entranced in what he just saw. Megatron runs from the scene, heeding his father’s orders to ‘run and not look back’.  
Natron tries to scout his vision around for signs that Shockwave had escaped too, but notices he was still sat exactly where he was before and had not moved an inch. Natron calls to Shockwave, yelling at him to run, which distracts him from the worm for a brief moment in the fight resulting in some bad injuries.  
Then, when Natron was at his weakest; the worm dived down for the killing blow, only for Natron to position his sword so that as the worm devoured him, his blade tore through its body causing it to split in half.  
The worm crashes onto Natron’s last known position, sending debris, blood and dust into the air.  
Young Shockwave stands up, still entranced by what he had seen, and approaches the scene of the battle; he sees the remains of the worm along with remains of several Cybertronians the worm previously consumed, some being very recent.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I should have been traumatised by what I saw…but I wasn’t. I just witnessed one of our strongest breeds being eaten alive, and another creature being disembowelled, and yet I wasn’t sent to Torkulon for therapy.”  
Gama: (VO) “You’re a surgeon though, right? It’s normal for you to see carnage.”  
Shockwave: (VO) “I wasn’t a surgeon from day one, sire. That day made me become one.”  
  
 _Shockwave falls to his knees and searches through the debris, finding Natron’s helmet with a worms tendril wrapped around it. He pulls the helmet away along with the tendril, only to realise that the tendril was actually a baby Dweller Worm.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I gave Megatron his father’s helmet and told him what happened, but instead of taking it the way you’d expect any child who lost its parent to…he…well…”  
Gama: (VO) “…he didn’t care?”  
Shockwave: (VO) “Not one bit.”  
  
(END FLASHBACK)  
  
Shockwave: “And, since all his brothers were still alive…when he reached um…’sexual maturity’, sire…he killed them all.”  
Gama: (Shocked) “He did WHAT?!”  
Shockwave: (Meekly) “He killed all of his brothers, sire.”  
  
 _Gama looks away from Shockwave, disgusted.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “After his father died, Megatron stopped caring about Leadership and became a miner. All of his brothers became students or casual workers, but your father decided to do a job nobody wanted to do by freedom of choice. He chose to hide from his responsibility, which we believe was brought about by the fear of himself being killed should he step up to being Leader.”  
Gama: (Stern) “I see.”  
Shockwave: “Rite of Passage came along, granting Megatron to see his brothers again, and as far as I am aware he hated what some of them became…saying they put shame onto the family…and he killed them.”  
Gama: (Stern) “So just like that, he decided to kill them all.”  
Shockwave: (Pondering) “Not exactly…one of them survived, since he was a member of the senate…until the miners were put out of a job, and the underground gladiator games were shut down…then Megatron had him killed as well.”  
Gama: “And that’s how he became Leader, without question?”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “Yes, sir.”  
   
 _Gama ponders and leans back in his seat, eyeing Shockwave with interest._  
 _  
_Gama: (Curious) “By the way…that little worm you found on the helmet…”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “That became my pet, sire. Driller.”  
Gama: “I heard you mention that creature before…back *cough* ‘then’.”  
  
 _Shockwave smirks deviously.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Slyly) “You need to elaborate on that, sire; I do not know what you are talking about.”  
Gama: (Growling) “You know what I’m talking about!!”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “You need to learn to have fun, sire…”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “And you need to learn not to test my patience.”  
  
 _Shockwave prepares to speak again, when suddenly a knock at the door is heard.  
  
_ Gama: (Calling) “It’s open.”  
  
 _The door slides open, with Cyclonus entering the room; he bows to Gama and turns to Shockwave.  
  
_ Cyclonus: “I do not mean to disturb you, my lord, but Lord Megatron requires a moment of Shockwave’s time.”  
Gama: (Sighing) “Thank Primus; get rid of him! He’s driving me crazy!”  
Shockwave: (Whimpering) “Sire…”  
Gama: (Muttering) “…bring him back when my father is done with him though.”  
  
 _Shockwave purrs lovingly and gets out of his seat, leaving the room with Cyclonus behind him.  
Gama spins his seat around. He thinks over the story just told to him and how that accident not only changed his father’s life, but also Shockwaves.  
  
_


	7. To Rebuild an Empire -Part 2-

_A few hours pass without a sign of anyone returning. The longer Shockwave was gone the more Gama began to speculate that his father had found him an opponent to fight, and was seeking Shockwaves advice on how to get both the challenger to cooperate, and how to get Gama to cooperate.  
Being impatient, and with Shockwave having not fully hidden all of his Dark Energon yet, Gama sought out his small stash of the un-liquefied variety of Dark Energon to pass the time; he strolls to his bed, lifting the mattress, to reach for the hidden stash beneath. The stash is a combination of both powdered and solid crystal forms inside a clear, plastic-like wallet.  
Gama sighs as he throws himself back into his seat, opening the container and lightly taking out some sprinkles of the powder, eyeing the regular Energon Shockwave left behind.  
He takes the bottle, drops the powder inside of it and shakes it, before drinking it down in one go without pausing for breath; within seconds of consumption Gama’s Energon generator fired up for the first time in months, working to both process the consumed energy and to create more.  
But there was no sunlight, or any masses of heat to create Energon within his own system, it is why Gama has been drinking regular Energon from bottles or (with luck) whole cubes.  
As Gama waited for the Dark Energon’s narcotic effect to wear off, which would bring in the more desired effects, he listened to his surroundings carefully; he could hear someone coming, but because he was in the relaxed-stage of the drug he couldn’t panic or fully prepare himself for what was about to happen._  
  
Shockwave: (VO) “I hope you’re decent, sire. I’m coming in.”  
  
 _Gama chuckles and relaxes in his seat as Shockwave opens the door, peeking inside at first before fully entering once he realised Gama was not doing anything.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Sire; your father has found you your challenger, and to be quite honest I’m not liking the sounds of it.”  
  
 _Shockwave moves closer to Gama, who begins swirling around in his swivel-chair chuckling to himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Curious) “…sire, are you even listening?”  
Gama: (Relaxed) “Not liking who my opponent is; got you.”  
Shockwave: (Worried) “It’s very unnerving, I need to tell you who it is or---”  
Gama: (Stretching) “Why worry? Just kick your feet up, relax and let the universe work things out for you.”  
  
 _Shockwave squints in uncertainty as Gama stops swirling in his seat to put his feet up on the desk._  
  
Shockwave: (Concerned) “…did something…happen…whilst I was gone, sire? This is not like you.”  
 _  
Gama laughs loudly, startling Shockwave.  
  
_ Gama: (Giggling) “Nope.”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “…I do not believe you, sir.”  
Gama: (Teasing) “Aw, why not unwind with me buddy-boy; you’re so serious.”  
Shockwave: (Curious) “Buddy-boy?”  
  
 _Gama laughs again, tossing his stash at Shockwave who catches it with ease, before spinning his chair around with his arms in the air again.  
  
_ Gama: (Relaxed) “Bring back the good times…relish every great moment you once had…”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “…Dark Energon…and after all your father did to try and stop you getting into using it.”  
Gama: (Purring) “It’s amazing, buddy! Try a spec…or a whole drink with some…or if you really want to go a long, long way back…”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “Forget the past, Gama; you should be looking to the future and what it is offering you, cherish every opportunity to become something better.”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “Oh, I like those moments!”  
  
 _Gama stops spinning and waves his hand like a child to Shockwave.  
  
_ Gama: (Teasing) “…I like to wave at them as they pass by! Hehehe!”  
 _  
Shockwave growls and tosses the stash onto the floor as Gama begins spinning again, quickly blasting the wallet and its contents until nothing was left.  
Gama stops spinning his seat immediately.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “…why did you do that?”  
Shockwave: (Angry) “Your father worked HARD to make sure you got the remedies needed to get you off Dark Energon, and you repay him by smuggling it into your system! It’s bad enough we still trade it off to obtain new weapons and equipment, the last thing we need right now is our own future Leader being drugged to Cybertron and back on this…this…POISON!”  
Gama: (Growling) “Shut the fuck up, Shockwave.”  
  
 _Shockwave mutters to himself, searching his storage compartments as he mutters.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “I was having fun until you started blasting your gun about…and what took you so long anyway to come back?”  
Shockwave: (Distracted) “A combination of a heavy debate with Cyclonus and your father, plus final procedures to get your opponent to show up in time for your coronation.”  
Gama: “…a debate?”  
Shockwave: (Distracted) “Yes, sir.”  
  
 _Gama rubs his head tiredly and relaxes in the chair again.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “What was this debate about, exactly?”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “Your challenger; I did not approve of the choice, and had to make a valid argument as to why he should not be used. I can safely tell you I lost the debate two to one…ah! Here we go!”  
 _  
Shockwave pulls out a large file, and tosses it down onto Gama’s lap.  
  
_ Gama: “…what’s this?”  
Shockwave: (Pointing) “The details on your opponent; I figured you’d want to read up on him, his battle tactics, alt-modes and so on…since you’re in a state of bliss and will not remember what we just discussed.”  
Gama: (Groaning) “It was just a sprinkle, like one percent…It was to just relax me…”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “One percent could easily turn to one hundred percent, sire. Please, just TRY to quit…before it’s too late.”  
 _  
Gama mutters to himself and looks at the file, looking through each page one by one.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “Why should I be scared of this guy? He’s old.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “I must have forgotten to slap his name in huge letters on the front of the file…regardless; his age does not matter here, although with age comes experience.”  
Gama: (Laughing) “This guy doesn’t look so tough either…I mean, sure he’s big looking but seriously…”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “Size does not matter either.”  
Gama: (Growling) “I’m going to hit you hard you know, Shockwave, if you keep this attitude up. Now tell me who this guy is and why you’re so upset about him being my opponent.”  
  
 _Shockwave lowers his head and refuses to look at Gama.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Muttering) “*Muffle*”  
Gama: “Louder.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “Sixshot.”  
  
 _Gama chuckles and relaxes in his seat again.  
  
_ Gama: “…so?”  
Shockwave: (Bluntly) “Disaster.”  
Gama: (Curious) “Huh?”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “This battle is a recipe for disaster; Sixshot has wanted to overthrow Megatron for years, but unlike Starscream he kept himself on the outskirts of the Decepticon ranks to avoid suspicion.”  
Gama: (Confused) “Wait a second…wasn’t Sixshot like…my father’s arch-enemy before the Autobots? Shouldn’t he have been killed years ago by him? I mean, Sixshot is a Leader Class like me, but he’s also a Six-Changer…”  
Shockwave: “I understand your concerns here, sire; why keep around such a dire threat to your fathers own lineage? The answer is only known to members of my generation, and it lies within that story I told you a few hours ago.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “When my father beat him.”  
Shockwave: (Bowing) “That is correct, sire. The fight they had that day set off a trend that spanned their entire youth, until Megatron became a miner and never saw Sixshot again…that is, until he accepted him into the faction once he became Leader. In your father’s optics he saw, and believed, that Sixshot had finally learnt his place.”  
Gama: (Deducing) “So Sixshot was a member of the Decepticons, on the lower ranks and at a distance away from my father and me, so there was no threat.”  
Shockwave: “Exactly, sire. But, like all members of your breed, he sought to lead himself having grown tired of being ruled by your father; and so, he rebelled and formed his own gang.”  
Gama: (Perceiving) “This has been informative, Shockwave…however…”  
  
 _Gama waves the file at Shockwave._  
  
Gama: “Did my father not notice Sixshot is being kept on Earth under the strictest security measures possible? He will not be able to fight me.”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “He did. He’s decided to go ahead with the coronation as planned, but you will need to fight Sixshot when we reclaim him.”  
Gama: “I see.”  
Shockwave: (Gasping) “Oh! I almost forgot!”  
  
 _Gama raises a brow.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “…forgot…what?”  
Shockwave: “When you fight him; it’s a fight to the death. You MUST kill him.”  
  
 _Gama remains silent.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “Do you understand my concerns now, sire? If you do not kill Sixshot then he will kill you, and because your father believes you’ve survived by yourself through sheer power alone he thinks you can defeat Sixshot by yourself. The lies you’ve been living under may be the very ones that get you killed, sire.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “…I can beat Sixshot, I know I can…but to kill him?”  
 _  
Gama gets out of his seat and places his hand against his chin, pondering. Shockwave narrows his eye in pity, watching Gama’s every move with interest, as he began pacing as he thought.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “I’m strong, Shockwave. But I’m not a killer anymore.”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “If only that were true, sire.”  
Gama: (Stern) “Excuse me?”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “W-well…you may not want to kill anymore, but killing to survive is part of your nature, sire. It will come back, and at a greater force.”  
 _  
Gama narrows his eye at Shockwave, attempting to see if he was teasing him.  
  
_ Gama: “…you’re not lying.”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “I don’t want to speak a single lie to you, sire…ever.”  
Gama: (Curious) “And so far everything you have said has been true?”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “Certainly, sir.”  
  
 _Gama smirks and gets out of his seat, handing the file on Sixshot back to Shockwave.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “I may have…misjudged you… Shockwave.”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “S-sire?”  
Gama: (Whispering) “If you had been lying to me, I would have felt or seen it…but I didn’t…so you know what that means?”  
  
 _Shockwave remains silent.  
  
_ Gama: (Whispering) “You’re off my suspects list; you can come see me freely and the like, without me treating you like a stranger.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “Oh sire!”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “That is not an invitation to do…certain unspeakable things…to me, Shockwave. We can now safely call each other friends, but nothing more.”  
 _  
Shockwave sniffles, turning away from Gama so he could not see him crying.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sniffling) “You don’t know how happy this makes me, sir.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Vector Sigma…”  
  
 _Shockwave coughs and turns around again, looking as if the crying never even happened._  
  
Gama: (In Thought) “…he got over that quick.”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Sire, this brings me onto the next subject before the ship lands at our next destination.”  
Gama: (Pondering) “Let me think…Scourge, right?”  
Shockwave: “No sir; Scourge was rescued whilst you slept…or were under the influence of Dark Energon…I am not sure which came before the other.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Sleep then Energon…”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Anyway; when we land you will be taken to the coronation zone, most commonly spoken as the ‘Hall of Heroes.’”  
Gama: (Shocked) “W-we’re going back to Cybertron?! B-but…it’s still ‘owned’ by the Autobots!!” _  
  
Shockwave nods and bows as Gama’s jaw drops in shock.  
  
_ Shockwave: “The Hall of Heroes is still Decepticon property; it was left in pristine condition as part of the Cybertron Museum ‘Conservation of Historical places’ Society. When we arrive, sire, you will be crowned; and will become Gamatron, Sixth Leader of the Decepticons.”  
 _  
Gama remains looking at Shockwave in awe, totally speechless.  
  
_ Shockwave: “As the Hall is Decepticon Property, we can use it freely; anyone who tries to trespass or disturb the coronation will be punished according to Cybertron Law.”  
Gama: (Meekly) “…Cybertron Law?”  
Shockwave: (Reciting) “’Any individual who disturbs the crowning of any new leader by forms deemed threatening, intrusive or treacherous shall be put to death.’ In other words; an Autobot can watch the coronation from afar without fear of being attacked, but if they got too close it would be deemed either intrusive or threatening. Because of this, they immediately lose any protection they may have had, and will be ‘free sport’ for any Decepticons who are watching the coronation. The same rules apply to Decepticons should an Autobot be the one being crowned; but because of the Autobots nature of not ‘crowning’ a leader this rarely becomes reality.”  
Gama: “So any Autobot who sees the coronation can’t do anything to stop it?”  
Shockwave: (Smirking) “Not if they value their life, sire.” _  
  
Shockwave approaches Gama and taps his helmet teasingly with a claw, causing Gama to growl.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Purring) “I can just picture you with your fathers helmet on…it will radiate your Leader position.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “I could radiate my Leadership without that thing.”  
Shockwave: “Ah sire, of course you could…but with the helmet on, you are officially crowned.”  
  
 _Shockwave stops tapping Gama’s helmet and heads to the door.  
  
_ Shockwave: “We’ll reach Cybertron within the next day; I advise you practice your speech, vows and first set of orders before then, sire. And do not only your father a favour, but also yourself; fight your urge to use Dark Energon.”  
  
 _Gama tilts his head and folds his arms, thinking, as he watches Shockwave bow.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Bowing) “Till then, sire, I bid you good day.”  
 _  
Shockwave backs out of the room and closes the door, leaving Gama behind.  
Gama approaches his desk and opens the side-draw, revealing another secret stash of Dark Energon alongside a pile of papers; he takes both items up in his hands and looks at them one at a time, as if trying to decide what to do.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “…so tomorrow…everything changes…”  
  
 _He sets down the Dark Energon stash and flicks through the papers.  
  
_ Gama: (Chuckling) “I can’t recite a speech totally stoned on Dark Energon now, can I? I guess it’s time I got back to work on this speech.”  
 _  
Gama takes the papers and sits at his desk, continuing to write out his speech in silence, for within twenty four hours he will be crowned Leader…Emperor…of the Decepticons; and with that title comes a great responsibility.  
  
The whole day was spent writing and reciting his speech, alongside a briefing of the coronation procedures from Cyclonus and Megatron; small run-throughs of where to stand, where to move and what to do at certain points in the ceremony were a big part of this.  
As soon as the ship entered Cybertron airspace; Shockwave falsified a security clearance, granting them landing rights close to the Hall of Heroes.  
Once the Decepticons left the ship in the swarms, the Autobots immediately began to react; soldiers were deployed to the hall of Heroes, heavily armed. Scouts were sent in advance to keep an eye on the intruders, watching them just outside the fencing which protected the Hall of heroes from being disturbed by the general public.  
  
_ Autobot Scout: (Into Com) “Rodimus, sir. We’ve located the rogue vessel, landed just beside the Hall of Heroes.”  
  
 _Rodimus Prime, not on Cybertron at this time, responds to the Scout but his reply cannot be heard by the audience.  
  
_ Autobot Scout: (Into Com) “No sir; they left the ship and are all gathered outside the Hall. We saw four of them go inside, but they’ve not shown signs of hostility…yet.” _  
  
Rodimus replies again.  
  
_ Autobot Scout: (Into Com) “We’ll keep you updated until you arrive, sir. Over and out.”  
 _  
The scout stops the transmission and lurks in silence, watching the hordes of Decepticons gathered outside the hall; the area they had gathered in was enclosed by a low-fence, distinguishing where the Decepticons property bordered with the ‘free space’ that belonged to whoever won the war (in this case, the Autobots). The Decepticons were all very lightly armed, casually talking with one another or sitting in silence, waiting for the event taking place to actually begin.  
Inside the hall, out of sight of the Scouts for now as a large curtain was placed up, the rehearsal for the coronation was taking place; Gama was sat in a large throne at the back of the halls platform area, with Cyclonus and Megatron stood alongside of him, whilst Shockwave is stood up front with the ‘crown’ (Megatrons current helmet) reciting the ‘Order of Succession’ speech to an imaginary audience.  
Once the small speech was finished, Gama stood up and approached Shockwave; placing one hand onto the helmet and the other onto his chest (where his Spark is).  
_  
Shockwave: (Reciting) “And so, Gama Tantalus, do you accept the order of succession?”  
Gama: “I do.”  
Shockwave: (Reciting) “Do you also, in the presence of your comrades, swear to abide by Cybertron Law; in battle and in the barracks?”  
Gama: “I do.”  
Shockwave: (Reciting) “Finally; say your vows, under the oath that your forefathers wrote in Cybertrons earliest days.”  
  
 _Gama nods and reaches for his storage compartment, revealing a small gun.  
  
_ Gama: (Reciting) “With this firearm, I will punish the treacherous and defend the Order.”  
  
 _He places the gun onto the podium nearby, one of his hands still placed on the crown, before he reveals an Energon shard.  
  
_ Gama: (Reciting) “And there will be no day or night where our brothers will feel weak with Energon Deprivation.”  
Megatron: (Shouting) “Stop, stop.”  
  
 _Megatron approaches Gama, rubbing his forehead.  
  
_ Gama: “…I thought it went firearm, then Energon?”  
Megatron: (Groaning) “It does, but you mixed up the Energon Shard with the Energon Cube.”  
Gama: (Bluntly) “They’re the same.”  
 Shockwave: “Sire…the Shard is meant to be you ‘empowering your brothers’ and the cube is meant to be you ‘preventing them from starving’.”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Allow me to list it in order again for you sire; Firearm, Energon Cube, Blade, Energon Shard and finally Fire.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “I know the order, dammit…”  
  
 _Megatron groans in annoyance as he returns to standing beside the throne again._  
  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “Start over; from the vows.”  
 _  
Gama mutters to himself as he gathers the items again, preparing to start his reciting from scratch.  
Three to four hours later, and the ceremony was ready to officially begin; the curtain that stopped the Autobot Scouts from looking into the hall was removed, and the Decepticons outside began to enter the Hall area and take their positions on the floor-level.  
Cyclonus and Scourge are stood by the doorways leading from the rear chambers, where Gama and Megatron were currently located. Shockwave stands beside the podium, watching over the crown and the gathering crowd.  
There is masses of sound, mainly of talking, granting the Autobot Scouts the needed distractions to get a closer look at what was going on. The scouts rush for cover as the sounds of trumpets play, causing the noise heard moments ago to die down as everyone turned their attention to the platform area.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Calling) “Everyone please be silent as your Leader enters the premises.”  
  
 _The entire hall falls silent as Megatron and Gama enter, with Megatron wearing his casual/old helmet now; Gama takes his seat in the throne as he did in rehearsal, whilst only Megatron stands beside Gama this time. The trumpets sound again as Shockwave opens up an old display interface, and begins the recital of ‘Order of Succession’.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Reciting) “Brothers and sisters of the Decepticon Empire; today marks a new step on our bold and dangerous journey. The retirement of our previous, glorious Leader Megatron…”  
  
 _The crowd cheer as Megatron raises his arm.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Reciting) “This day would be marked down as that of victory in the sight of the enemy. But fear not; a new Leader is before us!”  
 _  
The crowd cheer again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Reciting) “He has displayed courage, strength and valour, wisdom and daringness. It is these requirements he has fulfilled that have brought him here today to be crowned.”  
Random Decepticon: (Calling/VO) “He didn’t fight anyone though!”  
Shockwave: (Yelling) “SILENCE YOUR VOCAL PROCESSORS!!”  
 _  
There is an eerie silence as Shockwave regains his composure.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Reciting) “First, and only born, offspring of Megatron; Gama Tantalus, now a fully grown adult male, has been chosen to be the next Leader of the Decepticon Empire. By Order of Succession, may he please step forward.”  
  
 _Gama gets out of the throne and approaches Shockwave, placing one hand onto the helmet and the other onto his chest (where his Spark is) just like in rehearsal.  
_  
Shockwave: (Reciting) “And so, Gama Tantalus, do you accept the order of succession?”  
Gama: “I do.”  
Shockwave: (Reciting) “Do you also, in the presence of your comrades, swear to abide by Cybertron Law; in battle and in the barracks?”  
Gama: “I do.”  
Shockwave: (Reciting) “Finally; say your vows, under the oath that your forefathers wrote in Cybertrons earliest days.”  
  
 _The Autobot Scouts whisper to one another, as Rodimus prime finally arrives at the scene and takes cover behind one of the statues close to one of the scouts.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Whispering) “What have we got here; an illegal gathering?”  
Autobot Scout: (Whispering) “No sir; it’s a coronation.”  
Rodimus: (Quietly) “Coronation? But…they need so many individuals, of high rank especially, to perform an official one.”  
Autobot Scout: (Whispering) “Look, sir; the platform.” _  
  
As Gama nods and reaches for his storage compartment, revealing the small gun again, Rodimus catches sight of Megatron at the back.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Growling) “Son of a---”  
Autobot Scout: (Whispering) “Permission to end this coronation, sir?”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “We can’t…one wrong move here and not only would we get ourselves killed under Cybertron Law, but we’d be kick-starting another war…tell your crew to sit tight and just…watch.” _  
  
The scout nods reluctantly, giving his new orders to his crew quietly as Rodimus watches the coronation.  
  
_ Gama: (Reciting) “With this firearm, I will punish the treacherous and defend the Order.”  
  
 _He places the gun onto the podium nearby, one of his hands still placed on the crown, before he reveals an Energon Cube.  
  
_ Gama: (Reciting) “And there will be no day or night where our brothers will feel weak with Energon Deprivation.” _.  
  
Gama then reveals a blade, which he places onto the podium.  
  
_ Gama: (Reciting) “With this blade, I will cut apart the lies and fabrications the Autobots have established; bringing the truth to my brethren with full confidence.”  
  
 _Gama then reveals the Energon Shard.  
  
_ Gama: (Reciting) “And, with the power of this…Energon Shard…no Decepticon shall exist feeling weak, with no feeling of power to assist them.”  
 _  
The scout nods to Rodimus, and at the podium.  
  
_ Autobot Scout: (Quietly) “What is this purpose of these…items?”  
Rodimus: (Muttering) “Each one is a vow, a symbol of what the Decepticons stand for; power, greed, fabrication, decepticon…”  
  
 _Gama reveals the last item, by igniting a ball made of flammable material, before tossing it onto the podium; setting the items on fire in front of the helmet (which is on a higher, separate, podium.)  
  
_ Rodimus: (Quietly) “The firearm is symbolic of ‘offense’ over defence. The cube is symbolic of the need to ‘feed an empire’. The blade can mean one of two things depending on the individual; one is terminating traitors who are against the Decepticon cause, the other is destroying evidence that go against the Decepticon cause. As for the Energon shard, that represents raw power.”  
Autobot Scout: (Whispering) “And the fire?”  
Rodimus: (Reciting) “It probably refers to an old legend…‘The once two brave Cybertronians, fighting for freedom, burnt away the wickedness of the Quintessons in a sea of flames; allowing the people to be reborn anew.’ It refers to the rise of both the Autobots and the Decepticons, burning and destroying the Quintesson Civilisation. The burning of those items just now is a way of remembering the rise of the Cybertronians.”  
 _  
Gama steps back as the fire burns wildly, caused by the Energon that was set alight.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Shrugging) “Or maybe they just wanted to burn something.” _  
  
The crowd cheer as the fire slowly dies down back into a calmer flame, and Gama takes up some of the fire on a pole.  
  
_ Gama: (Calling) “This new flame shall relight the Decepticon path; as you witnessed, it burns wildly and with intensity.”  
Shockwave: (Reciting) “Gama Tantalus, son of Megatron Torporium; light the beacon of prosperity.”  
  
 _Gama takes the flame and walks down from the platform, into the crowd and the centre of the hall where a giant empty beacon was located; he tosses the pole into the beacon and it lights up, with the fire burning wildly again. The crowd cheer as the fire burns, with Gama returning to the podium with Shockwave.  
The crowd fall silent as Shockwave places his claws onto Gama’s helmet, slowly lifting it free from his head and placing it beside the podium.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Reciting) “I, Shockwave Mirantholis the second…”  
  
 _Shockwave retrieves the crown, slowly placing it onto Gama’s head.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Calling) “…now proclaim you, Lord Gamatron Tantalus; sixth Leader of the Decepticon Empire!”  
  
 _Shockwave steps back from Gama and salutes.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Calling) “HAIL LORD GAMATRON!”  
  
 _The crowd begin cheering and saluting, as Gama lightly adjusts the helmet on his head to fit better. He raises his hand, causing the crowd to immediately fall silent.  
  
_ Gama: (Calling) “My fellow Decepticons; it brings me great honour to serve you as your new Leader, at such a young age too…and so, your faith in me has earned you my respect…but in order to keep it; you must maintain your duties, you must never lie to me, you must never question any orders I give you. By earning my respect, you also earn my trust, and trust on the battlefield is vital in the outcome becoming either a win or lose situation… ”  
  
 _Rodimus slowly pulls away from the wall as Gama continues his speech (which can be heard in the background.)  
  
_ Rodimus: (Muttering) “This isn’t good…a new leader is one thing…but making him Leader; a lying, backstabbing, confused, twisted punk?”  
Autobot Scout: “I thought anybot would be bad news.”  
Rodimus: (Coldly) “Gama is young, very strong in both body and in words…he’ll be ten, no, a hundred times tougher to put down than Megatron ever was.”  
Autobot Scout: (Curious) “Then what should we do, Sir?”  
Rodimus: (Stern) “Prepare an immediate attack…as soon as they leave this hall, they’ll be unprotected by Cybertron Law and we can put both Megatron and Gama down before they can even react.”  
 _  
The scout nods, before issuing the new orders to his crew through the inter-com device. The scouts all leave the Hall area to set up an ambush outside, leaving Rodimus in the hall to keep an eye on things.  
Once Gama’s speech was over, and the Decepticons at ground-level began cheering again, Rodimus removes himself from his hiding spot and into the open.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Calling) “Do all Decepticon scumbags have a party this big? Or is it just major scumbags only?”  
  
 _The cheering stops, with all the Decepticons turning to lock their sights on Rodimus Prime; nobody moves, or even blinks, until Gama decides to jump down to ground level.  
All the Decepticons in his path stepped aside, allowing him to move closer to the intruder.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “You’re trespassing, Autobot.”  
Rodimus: (Laughing) “Trespassing? I don’t think I got the memo that this Hall was YOUR property.”  
Gama: “It’s Decepticon property, so it belongs to everyone in this Hall…except you. And you know what the penalty for trespassing is, don’t you?”  
Random Decepticon: (VO) “Squash him, Lord Gamatron!!”  
  
 _The crowd begin to cheer wildly, until Gama raises an arm whereby they all fall silent.  
  
_ Gama: (Coldly) “The penalty is death.”  
Rodimus: (Mocking) “Actually, if you really did do your homework on Cybertron Law, the penalty is eviction and not death.”  
Gama: (Growling) “I suggest you reread the laws, Autobot….both side of the laws, not just your own pathetic excuse for laws.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “What.”  
Gama: (Pointing) “In Autobot Law, the penalty for trespassing can happen one of two ways; eviction from the premises or immediate arrest.”  
Rodimus: (Muttering) “Yes…but I told you that---”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “In Decepticon Law, the penalty for trespassing is lashings for the young, but death for adults.”  
  
 _Rodimus squints.  
  
_ Gama: (Laughing) “If there was going to be a ‘next time’ then maybe you should read both sides of the law like I did!”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “This Hall is still not Decepticon Property; it’s owned by no one.”  
Gama: (Pointing) “Actually it is clearly a Decepticon Heritage site; I do not see a single Autobot statue within this Hall, or any sign of Autobot scriptures or artefacts…and below the Hall is the Crypt for our dead…”  
  
 _Rodimus remains silent, as the Decepticons around him begins to laugh.  
  
_ Gama: (Smirking) “Oh such a mistake, Rodimus; claiming this Hall to belong to no one, when the Decepticon Insignia is branded EVERYWHERE.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “B-but…this area really does belong to no one now…”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “And that is irony.” _  
  
Gama clicks his fingers and waves a random soldier to approach.  
  
_ Soldier: (Saluting) “Lord Gamatron, sir!”  
Gama: (Stern) “Search him for any weapons, and be thorough.”  
 _  
Rodimus twitches and steps back slightly, keeping his gaze fixed on Gama’s single eye.  
  
_ Gama: (Smirking) “Either stay still and allow the search, or run like a coward.”  
  
 _Rodimus growls deeply as he bumps into another Decepticon behind him, who immediately turns around and grapples him. The soldier Gama instructed begins removing Rodimus’ weapons, handing each one to Gama for inspection.  
  
_ Gama: “…hmmm…your firearms have changed.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “Everyone’s weapons have been improved on both the Titrons and Autobots; no matter what you try to do Gama, you’ll be outgunned and overpowered.”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “With my power, your weapons are useless.”  
 _  
Gama tosses the weapons that didn’t interest him onto the floor, and begins taking apart Rodimus main handgun to see what had changed.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Smirking) “You might not like what you find in that gun, Gama.”  
  
 _Gama huffs as he continues taking the gun apart bit by bit; finally taking out a small thread of coiled wire, whereby he immediately stopped.  
Decepticons nearby Gama moved in for a closer look, wondering why their leader had suddenly fallen silent over such a small thread of wire, before they all started moving back nervously once he began to radiate an angry energy.  
  
_ Gama: (Hissing) “How did you get this?!”  
Rodimus: (Smirking) “I said you wouldn’t like what you’d find, but you still looked anyway.”  
Gama: (Shouting) “Answer the question!”  
Rodimus: (Slyly) “From your generator.”  
  
 _Gama twitches, crushing the wire in his hand until it crumbled.  
  
_ Rodimus: “When we operated on you, after that accident of yours, we took a few things out of your generator and reverse-engineered the parts for Autobot use. So, in other words, your radiation and nuclear abilities are no longer unique.”  
  
 _Gama crushes Rodimus gun in his other hand in a rage.  
  
_ Soldier: (Saluting) “Lord Gamatron, sir! Requesting permission to terminate the Autobot!”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Denied.”  
  
 _The Decepticons behind Gama begin talking quietly amongst themselves, as Megatron and those on the platform reach ground-level to see what was happening as well.  
  
_ Megatron: (Stern) “What is going on here, Gama?”  
  
 _Gama remains silent.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Smirking) “Your son’s advantageous firepower does not just belong to him anymore…it belongs to his enemies now, too.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “W-what?!”  
Rodimus: “And we’re still in the process of reverse-engineering a few other abilities of his…we just need a few more samples.”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “…this is a joke, right?”  
Cyclonus: (Quietly) “A very sick joke to buy time, I hope.”  
Rodimus: (Slyly) “Oh, it’s no joke; just a few scrapings from his chassis and we’d have the full heat-resistance that your Leader has.”  
  
 _Gama tosses the remains of the firearm onto the floor, refusing to look at anyone._  
  
Rodimus: (Mocking) “What was it you said to me a moment ago, Gama?...oh, that’s right ‘with your power, our weapons are useless’. Well now, our weapons have your power.”  
Cyclonus: (Muttering) “Now that is irony.”  
  
 _Gama growls deeply._  
  
Megatron: (Angry) “W-well Gama?!”  
Gama: (Coldly) “…what?”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “Aren’t you going to execute this disgrace to the Cybertronian race?”  
  
 _Gama remains silent, not looking at anyone.  
  
_ Cyclonus: (Quietly) “I find his silence rather unnerving.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “…very; especially considering the situation he has now.”  
Megatron: (Angry) “If this fool is telling the truth, Gama; you need to kill him now before he can get anything else from you.”  
Rodimus: (Smirking) “Like those chassis samples.”  
Megatron: (Shouting) “Be quiet!”  
  
 _Gama still says nothing and refuses to look at anyone. The crowds of Decepticons begin talking much louder now than before.  
  
_ Shockwave: “This silence is not making the others feel very confident, my Lord.”  
Cyclonus: (Annoyed) “And if anything, they’ll be questioning why you’re delaying in executing this fool.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Be quiet, I’m thinking.”  
Rodimus: (Mocking) “Thinking of how to pull yourself out of this mess you’ve put yourself in? I can only see one way out of it for you; surrender.”  
Gama: “I may be hesitating on executing you, but I’m not afraid to cut out your vocal processors, Rodimus. So you best keep your mouth shut.”  
 _  
Gama returns to his quiet thinking, tapping his chin slightly as he scoots his vision around the debris of the guns on the floor.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “Release him.”  
All Decepticons: (In Unison) “WHAT?!”  
Gama: “Just do as I have instructed; he has no weapons, and no reason to be here other than to waste our time with his lies. Kick him out of the Hall.”  
  
 _There is an outburst of noise from the Decepticon crowds.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Curious) “Even I’m baffled by that order, Gama.”  
Gama: “Let’s keep it that way, shall we? Now get rid of him.”  
 _  
The Decepticon who was restraining Rodimus drags him to the exit and kicks him out, before returning to the Hall where Gama was still in deep thought surrounded by his comrades.  
  
_ Megatron: (Annoyed) “You could have killed him, the Autobot Leader…but you didn’t.”  
Gama: (Sighing) “And you want to know why.”  
Cyclonus: “I think all of us will want to know why, my Lord.”  
 _  
Gama takes up the remains of the weapon he found the wire inside of.  
  
_ Gama: “Alright…look at this firearm.”  
Megatron: (Nodding) “You found the Coil inside of that one.”  
Gama: “That’s right; that coil can change a simple shot into a mass of radiation, which can fry circuits.”  
  
 _Gama pulls out a second Coil from the gun, allowing the rest to drop to the floor again. He gently stretches out the Coil until it was in its stretched position, as it would be inside the gun.  
  
_ Gama: “Now, one Coil inside the gun is problematic for those without Intense-Heat protection like I have…but this gun had two Coils inside.”  
Cyclonus: (Curious) “Wouldn’t that just increase the danger for us?”  
Gama: (Sighing) “Not exactly…one Coil converts standard Energy into the dangerous Radiation…you don’t need two to get that effect.”  
Megatron: “So what is the purpose of this second Coil?”  
  
 _Gama releases one end of the Coil, allowing it to curl up again._  
  
Gama: (Nodding) “Shockwave, you should know where I’m going with this.”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “M-me?”  
Gama: (Smiling) “That’s right…you operated on me a long time ago when I was still a teen…you should know why they NEED two Coils in their guns.”  
  
 _Shockwave rubs the back of his head nervously.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “Well…one Coil gives them the Radiation ability as you just said…but because they’re not resistant to the extreme heat the ability creates, they need a stabiliser to---!!”  
Megatron: (Curious) “…Shockwave?”  
Gama: (Smirking) “He understands now.”  
Cyclonus: “What? I don’t quite follow…”  
Gama: (Slyly) “Their weapons do not pack as much bite as mine, and until they become immune to intense-heat they never will be able to use my ability to its full potential. Without the second Coil, to stabilise the energy with, they would not only fry the circuits of the one they’re firing at…but they would also fry themselves, on a lethal scale.”  
Shockwave: “Because the firearm is so close to them, in contrast to how far away the target is, the wielder of the weapon is at greater risk of death than the actual target. The worst thing the Autobots can do with this type of firearm is temporarily disable parts of our systems.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “The kinetic areas of the system, to be exact. A shot from one of these modified guns will cause temporary paralysis; enough time for them to, say, tie you up and lock you somewhere.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “This still does not explain why you let him go.”  
Gama: “Well…if I killed Rodimus, they’d just replace him and move any reverse-engineered stuff they have on me to somewhere more secure…but if I could kill him on Earth, I could ultimately destroy all traces of my reverse-engineered Coil at the same time.”  
Shockwave: (Curious) “How did you assume the Coil came from Earth, my Lord?”  
Gama: “Oxidisation; rust…there isn’t any metal on Cybertron that rusts from just Oxygen alone, certain other factors need to come into play for any of our natural metals to start rusting. On Earth, however, they have plenty of metals and nearly all of them rust easily.”  
  
 _Megatron rubs his eyes tiredly.  
  
_ Megatron: (Annoyed) “They’re making them on Earth because the humans could use the technology to their advantage as well.”  
Gama: “That’s right, and if anything we should make Earth our next destination; to destroy the Coils and any Cybertronians residing there.”  
Shockwave: (Chuckling) “So Earth will be the first planet we conquer? I’m so excited.”  
Gama: “We should head back to the ship now and plot a course for Earth.”  
  
 _Megatron coughs to gain everyone’s attention.  
  
_  Megatron: (Stern) “Might I make a suggestion…”  
Gama: “Certainly.”  
Megatron: (Smirking) “We should stock up on more followers and ammunition before we begin an assault on Earth. There are some small planets that receive cargo from Earth every few weeks, so as a suggestion I believe we should target them and gather what we need.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “Alright…all in favour?”  
  
 _The crowd cheer.  
  
_ Gama: (Calling) “And anyone against?”  
  
 _There is silence, with only one Decepticon in the background coughing._  
  
Gama: “Raiding ships and gathering more followers it is then; to the ship!”  
  
 _The crowd cheer again and follow behind Gama as he leaves the Hall, stopping at the exit in silence; outside he could not see or hear any activity, unlike how it looked when they first arrived.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “…why did you stop, sire?”  
Gama: “Shh!”  
Cyclonus: (Quietly) “Maybe he’s having second thoughts?”  
Gama: “I said; Shh!”  
  
 _Everyone stops behind Gama, as he listens in silence.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “…something isn’t right here…it’s too quiet.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “It is rather…unsettling…”  
Cyclonus: “When we landed, it was rather busy with activity; if I recall, this area was quite a popular visiting spot.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “Yes, which is why I’m concerned as to why it is so quiet.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “My patience is starting to wane here.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “I’ll go on ahead, everyone needs to wait here until I tell you its all clear.”  
Cyclonus: “My Lord, the Leader does not go out into a possibly dangerous situation…he sends a lackey to go.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “That’s the old way, Cyclonus. It’s time that changed.”  
 _  
Gama takes a few steps out of the Hall’s exit, slowly and carefully eyeing his surroundings; he sees the ship still parked in the open, and as he wanders further into the open himself he begins to feel nervous. Gama pauses for a moment to eye the ship for any snipers, but doesn’t see anything…and as he takes a step he hears a feint ‘click’ sound, just like that of a gun being reloaded, come from behind one of the nearby pillars.  
He freezes in the open, daring not to move, but slowly turns his head to look behind him at the crowd of Decepticons hiding in the gateway to the Hall.  
  
_ Megatron: “…it’s a trap.”  
Shockwave: (Shocked) “W-what!? T-then we should go and get him back!”  
  
 _Shockwave attempts to rush from the gateway, but he is held back by Cyclonus and Megatron.  
  
_ Megatron: (Growling) “No; they want all of us to come out at once…the confusion caused by a swarm would make it easier for them to knock out anyone they wanted.”  
Cyclonus: “They’ll use Lord Gamatron as bait to lure the whole army out…if he can get to the ship, he can move it closer to us.”  
Megatron: (Nodding) “That’s right…so stay here and be quiet, Shockwave.”  
  
 _Shockwave relaxes reluctantly, watching as Gama continued his slow trek to the ship.  
Gama was careful in where he placed his feet, as just the slightest noise or hinting of a run might set the Autobots off into firing on him without a second thought. But he was so close to the ship now that a quick sprint would get him to cover, and he was more eager to get inside the closer he got.  
In one quick burst of energy; Gama leapt for the ship and began sprinting, causing the Autobots to stand up from their hiding positions and begin firing. The Decepticons in the gateway had to move deeper into the hall to avoid being shot, preventing them from seeing Gama entering the ship.  
Gama was quick to fire the ship up and begin repositioning it closer to the gateway of the Hall, granting his comrades safe and easy access to the ship for a hasty departure.  
Within minutes the ship was fully loaded and heading back into space, with the Decepticons cheering for their new Leader…who was not on the Bridge where he should be.  
  
_ Megatron: (Nodding) “Shockwave, go and see if Gama is in his quarters. If he is there, tell him to come back to the Bridge and issue his next set of orders.”  
Shockwave: (Bowing) “Yes, sir.”  
  
 _Megatron takes temporary command in the Captains chair as Shockwave heads to the upper decks where the crews quarters were located; approaching Gama’s quarters, finding the door-lock to still be broken, and peeking inside.  
Gama was sleeping on his bed, with empty Energon cubes scattered across the floor along with the paperwork he’d done his speech on for the Coronation.  
Shockwave approaches and sits beside Gama on the bed, tapping his claws teasingly on the young masters’ new helmet.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “My lord…you need to wake up.”  
 _  
Gama groans, slapping Shockwaves claws away; Shockwave repeats the process again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “Wake up, or I’ll carry you to the Bridge my Lord.”  
 _  
Gama groans again and wakes up, sitting upright to tiredly rub his eye.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Your father requests you return to the Captains chair, to give out further orders, my Lord.”  
Gama: (Yawning) “The coronation took a lot out of me…give me ten more minutes.”  
Shockwave: (Shrugging) “You’re the Leader now, Gamatron…if you do not want to give orders to the crew, just give your father permission to give the orders instead.”  
  
 _Gama yawns again, stretching his arms and back. Shockwave eyes his physique with interest, before pretending not to pay attention once Gama turned to stare at him.  
  
_ Gama: “…what where you looking at me like that for?”  
Shockwave:  (Blushing) “M-me? Um…I…”  
  
 _Gama glares coldly at Shockwave, suspecting something._  
  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “L-look at the time! I best be going back to the Bridge!”  
Gama: (Stern) “Yes, you best be…my father has permission to give orders for the next hour.”  
  
 _Shockwave bows nervously, backing towards the door and accidently bumping into it.  
  
_ Gama: “Oh, and Shockwave…”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “Y-yes, my Lord?”  
Gama: “Have someone repair that door-lock…I’d be happier if I could lock it, preventing certain…peeping-tom’s…from disturbing me.”  
  
 _Shockwave blushes and looks away in shame.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “Oh my…”  
Gama: (Yawning) “Dismissed.”  
  
 _Shockwave bows again before leaving the room, heading back to the Bridge to give Megatron the needed information Gama told him; and knowing this, Shockwave could figure the next destination would be the small planets Megatron mentioned before departure.  
  
_


	8. A Throne of Lies

 

 _Four days had passed since the coronation, and already Gama’s new Decepticon force was starting to gain confidence; raids on vessels ran smoothly just like the escapes, no crew member complained once about what was being stolen and/or who could have what. Everyone had the highest confidence in Gama being a worthy Leader, his little lies keeping their spirits up…that was until a raid on a large cruise vessel happened, and the lies began to unravel.  
The first act was stopping the ship from moving anywhere during the heist; Megatron (being Commander of the ships guns) ordered a rapid fire on the enemy ships engines, thereby disabling them. After the ship was stationary, it was Cyclonus’ job to ensure the Decepticon vessel was close enough for the ‘pirates’ to begin boarding the still cruiser. That was when Scourge and his Sweeps came into play; they enter the premises first en mass to make sure everything is all clear for their Lord.  
Easy routine, they had done it several times in three days near flawlessly…but on board this vessel was one Cybertronian who refused to behave like any normal hostage; he was fighting, even when in restraints, and even had to be gagged to stop him shouting profanities.  
When Gama set foot on the ship to inspect the types of cargo available he followed his comrades to the vaults first in the middle-decks to blow any safes open; once the vaults had been cleared the next task was to look for weapons to steal, but his crew were having other ideas.  
  
_ Decepticon: (Excited) “Lord Gamatron! Can we grab the weapons later? You see a few of the others have found far more valuable…hahaha…’items’ on board this ship!”  
Gama: (Pondering) “…something more valuable than weapons? Like…scientific research for new ships, or for new forms of generating power?”  
Decepticon: (Excited) “Oh no, my Lord…these pretties are far more valuable.”  
Shockwave: (Pointing) “Nothing is more valuable than knowledge, so this I must see.”  
Gama: (Smirking) “You really believe that, Shockwave? I don’t believe you.”  
Shockwave: (Twitching) “K-knowledge is everything…it helps us grow.”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “Well, let’s see these ‘valuables’ Soldier; amuse me by shocking Shockwave.”  
  
_The Decepticon bows repeatedly and leads Gama and Shockwave to the main Hall of the ship, where the Hostages are all located. Gama scouts around the hostages, looking back at his crew slightly confused as they began to drag each hostage from the cruise ship into the Decepticon ship.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “The hostages, or something they have?”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “I just see sacks of walking meat and giant tin cans as bodyguards.”  
Decepticon: (Slyly) “Take a second look at them…”  
  
_Gama raises a brow and turns to look at the hostages again; noticing many of the Cybertronians are either youngsters or female, and that his crew members were taking away the females and ignoring the youngsters.  
  
_ Gama: (Bluntly) “…they’re female.”  
Decepticon: (Excited) “I know, right sire? This has to be the best haul ever!”  
Gama: (Stern) “And why would we want petty Autobot females, soldier? They’re useless to us.”  
Decepticon: “…you mean, you don’t…’feel it’ sire?”  
  
_Gama narrows his eye into a glare.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Make that more clear, I MAY have misheard you.”  
Decepticon: (Meekly) “T-the females, sire…they can amuse us for a while…”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Such things do not interest me.”  
Decepticon: (Nervous) “Oh…I…I’m sorry my Lord…”  
Gama: “We do not need them, so leave them where they are and---”  
  
_Suddenly, Megatron enters the room and begins scouting over the hostages like Gama’s crew members are. Gama takes notice of this and looks to his father in confusion.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “…father?”  
Megatron: “We’re taking the females…isn’t that right, Gama?”  
Gama: (Whining) “We don’t need them---”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “You mean you don’t ‘feel it’?”  
  
_Gama squints at Megatron, who glares back at him coldly.  
  
_ Megatron: “I see…you don’t understand it yet.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “What is there to understand?”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “You’ve been mature for a while, my Lord, but there will be some things you may not have realised or fully understood in your adult life yet.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Stop trying to confuse me; just tell me in plain Universal Language what the fuck is going on.”  
Megatron: “It’s that time of year, Gama, and for some unknown reason the crew has been feeling it with quite the force.”  
Decepticon: (Nodding) “Y-yeah…it’s like…we’d been close to a female for weeks whilst she’s in season and we’ve not been able to do anything about it.”  
Gama: “Huh?”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “There is a strong smell of female chemicals in the ship for some strange reason, and the smell is telling everyone that she’s ready to carry offspring. To any common or alpha male, that causes severe frustration and damages their ability to concentrate.”  
Megatron: “But obviously, there is no female on the ship. The smell remains though, and so does the tension in everyone because of it. So it’s worth taking the females to quench a thirst we all are having.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “But I don’t feel this ‘thirst’ you’re talking about…and neither does Shockwave.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “Actually…I do, but…I’m ignoring it very well.”  
  
_Gama blinks in disbelief.  
  
_ Gama: (Whining) “Fine, take the females…do what you want to them…I don’t need anything like that.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “Only right now, I hope.”  
Gama: “I don’t ‘feel it’ so I don’t need to do anything, so take your Autobot bitches and go. I’m going to look for worth-while items to steal.”  
Decepticon: (Nervous) “Um…there might be one hostage you’ll be interested in, my Lord…before you decide to go anywhere…”  
  
_Gama hisses.  
  
_ Decepticon: (Cowering) “I-It’s your little brother!! That jet with the bad language and attitude!!”  
  
_Gama blinks and leans closer to the Soldier.  
  
_ Gama: “…Crasher?”  
  
_The Soldier nods reluctantly.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “…right…I need to deal with this personally.”  
Shockwave: “What was that, sire?”  
Gama: (Stern) “You and father help the others with the cargo, I’m going to have a few words with Crasher…if it really is him.”  
Decepticon: (Nervous) “O-oh it’s him alright…the humans confirmed it…”  
Gama: (Muttering) “All the more reason to meet him now, he must have been sent on this ship for a reason.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “If you’re going to talk to that lowlife, then I’m coming with you.”  
  
_Gama begins walking to where Crasher was being contained, before stopping the instant his father had spoken to him.  
  
_ Gama: “…for what reason?”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “That runt has a few answers to some questions of mine, and once you’re through with him I’ll want him to talk about what I want.”  
  
_Gama mutters to himself.  
  
_ Megatron: (Growling) “Did you just say something?”  
Gama: “No. Now if you want to come with me, you need to keep quiet until I’m done with him; it’s important he does NOT get sidetracked in a conversation, otherwise we’ll get nothing out of him.”  
Megatron: (Reluctantly) “…I…understand…and will cooperate.”  
Gama: “Good. Now let’s go.”  
_  
Gama and Megatron leave the Hall area and head to one of the side rooms, where Crasher is tied up with a gag in his mouth. Two guards are present watching Crasher, until Gama and his father enter, asking them to leave for privacy.  
  
_ Gama: “Long time no see, Crasher.”  
  
_Gama removes the gag from Crashers mouth, allowing him to breathe better and speak.  
_  
Crasher: (Coughing) “Shit…what fucking…bitches of an asshole…”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Still have quite the vocabulary, I see.”  
Crasher: (Angry) “Oh, it’s the deserter…you know I’m not going to speak to you ever again after what you did, right?”  
Gama: “You just spoke to me right now.”  
Crasher: (Shouting) “Not anymore! From NOW.”  
  
_Crasher firmly shuts his mouth, flashing an angry (and somewhat pouty) glare at Gama._  
_  
_ Gama: (Sighing) “Crasher…I thought you grew out of this?”  
  
_Crasher tenses, wanting to speak but trying hard not to.  
_  
Gama: (Snobbishly) “…has your old-man finally pulled the rod out of his thrusters yet? Is he still giving you the cold shoulder? Giving all his praise to Flarestar? Kicking you in the gutter like some common trashcan?”  
Crasher: (Yelling) “Pa is not like that!! He’s not like you are!!”  
Gama: “You just spoke again.”  
Crasher: (Angry) “Fuck you! Both of you!!”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “This isn’t going anywhere, Gama.”  
Gama: “I noticed.”  
Megatron: (Muttering) “Stop teasing him and get your information, otherwise let me get mine.”  
Gama: (Sighing) “Alright…you go first; the information I want from him is a bit more…personal.”  
Megatron: “…something you’re hiding from me?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “P-personal….about something in the family…”  
Megatron: “I see.”  
Crasher: (Shouting) “Hey! HEY YOU! Old rusty-ass! Get out of here! I want to let off some steam with your deserter of a son without you making him feel better!”  
Megatron: “The only deserter here, young Seeker, is YOU. Hold your vocal processors.”  
Crasher: (Furious) “He abandoned his family!! Abandoned me when I needed him the most!! I learnt from my mistakes of running from my problems, but Gama is going to get killed sweeping all his problems under the fucking carpet!! The carpet isn’t magical, Gama!!! It won’t make your fucked up lies vanish!!”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Crasher, show some respect.”  
Crasher: (Angry) “Fuck you Gama! Oh! But wait! I always did! And you LOVED IT every single time.”  
Megatron: (Shouting) “What did I just hear, Gama?!”  
Gama: (Blushing) “Nothing! He’s just being an asshole!”  
Crasher: (Annoyed) “Such a suck-up, Gama…if you want him to really like you, then why don’t you just suck his dick like you always did with me?”  
Gama: (Shocked) “C-Crasher---shhhh!”  
Megatron: (Shouting) “What did he just say?!”  
Gama: (Nervous) “N-nothing!! NOTHING!”  
Megatron: (Yelling) “Gama! Into that room next door; NOW.”  
Gama: (Meekly) “B-but father…”  
Megatron: (Yelling) “NOW.”  
  
_Gama enters the specified room, with Megatron following close behind him. Megatron ensures the door is securely closed before he begins speaking.  
  
_ Megatron: (Coldly) “You lied to me, Gama.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “No I didn’t! He—”  
Megatron: (Angry) “YOU.LIED. You didn’t find a mate because of issues about this Autobot watching you or that female being the wrong breed…it was all because you would rather mount a MALE.”  
  
_Gama lowers his head in shame.  
  
_ Megatron: (Disgusted) “Primus I was right in my suspicions…you’re gay.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “That’s right.”  
Megatron: “That explains the way you reacted when we were around the hostages…”  
Gama: (Coldly) “It is likely the reason.”  
Megatron: (Bitter) “You’ve mated, however, with a female I do hope?”  
Gama: “…kind of…”  
Megatron: (Shouting) “There is no ‘kind of’! It’s a yes or a no!”  
Gama: (Nervous) “I err…um…I did but…I never ejected into them…”  
Megatron: (Coldly) “And your first time?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “…um…it wasn’t really with a female.”  
Megatron: (Angry) “So those stories he told were true.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “…y-yes.”  
  
_Megatron face-palms and looks away from Gama.  
  
_ Megatron: (Growling) “I’d hoped your first time would have at least been with a female.”  
Gama: “…I mounted a female, but never penetrated her.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “Yet you were quite happy mounting AND penetrating a male, and to make matters worse, a RELATIVE. Grr…at least you were on top…”  
  
_Gama remains silent and tries to not look at his father, as Megatron returned to look at him. Megatron instantly snarled and looked away again in disgust.  
  
_ Megatron: (Angry) “Is there anything ELSE you haven’t told me?!”  
  
_Gama rubs his arms nervously before biting on the edge of his thumb.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Shit…shit…shit…do I tell him about that pregnancy? What about all the times I was submissive to Crasher? Or the times I let males mount me? N-no! NO! I can’t tell him! The shame! He’d never speak to me again!”  
  
_Megatron stares coldly at Gama, who trembles with the mounting fear within himself.  
  
_ Megatron: “Not telling me hmm? You know…when your mother never told me something, I forced it out of her.”  
  
_Megatron rushes Gama and grasps his head, trying to grab his Uplink Cable, but because Gama is fully-grown he forces his father to back away from him.  
  
_ Gama: (Angry) “Alright! You want the truth, which you can’t handle, I’ll give you it! I mounted Crasher on the odd occasion, but most of the time I was sucking his hose and letting him suck mine! Oh, and I let him mount me at least twice! But you know what really, REALLY, takes the gold in this? He got me PREGNANT; twenty eight eggs, all female, got taken away from me!”  
  
_Megatron growls as Gama continues, steadily getting more and more disgusted._  
  
Gama: (Angry) “Oh, and two other males mounted me! And I loved every second of it! HAPPY NOW?!”  
  
_Megatron stares in disgust at Gama, before shaking his head and growling again.  
  
_ Gama: “…well?”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “You have no idea…how much shame this brings onto the family.”  
Gama: (Pointing) “Fuck the family reputation; times are changing and you need to be prepared to meet them, instead of sulking about and shouting at me like some old man.”  
Megatron: “The family honour has been tarnished, Gama; I should kill you were you stand for this blight…but I won’t, since it’s too late to do that now…however, I’m using the right of silence as my weapon against you from now on.”  
Gama: (Angry) “Shunning me?! Because of, what, a little curiosity?! You have to have more reasons to do that!”  
Megatron: (Coldly) “There is nothing to discuss here.”  
  
_Megatron turns his back on Gama and leaves the room, returning to where Crasher was being contained, with Gama in hot pursuit.  
  
_ Crasher: (Whining) “Can I at least have my binds loosened? It hurts like hell.”  
Megatron: (Angry) “Be silent! You have information I require and you will tell me what I want to hear!”  
Gama: “You could always just probe his brain like you use to do with Mother.”  
Crasher: (Shouting) “Asshole! Don’t you DARE talk about Ma!! And you old geezer; ignore what he just suggested! If you try to probe my brain I’ll cripple yours with the training Ma gave me!”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “What who suggested? I didn’t hear anyone else.”  
Gama: (Pouting) “I can’t believe you’re SERIOUS about this shunning thing!”  
Crasher: “Shunning, eh? I remember that treatment; always ignored, given hours of time alone, able to say anything mean you want to the person who has shunned you with them unable to answer back. It’s the best time to frag-off; ever.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “Disgusting and shameful excuse for a Seeker, just like your father. Now prepare to answer my questions or I’ll cripple you.”  
  
_Megatron pushes passed Gama without even looking at him, with Gama leaving the room pouting.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “You probably just need a few hours to yourself…I’ll come back later.”  
_  
Several hours later, the ship had been near fully looted and all female hostages had been taken on-board the Decepticon ship. Megatron obtained what information he needed from Crasher, and left him with the other ‘non-female-Cybertronian’ hostages to deliver a message to any Autobots that rescued them. Gama trailed around the ship looking for any missed loot, when he saw his father issuing some orders to the scout team.  
_  
Gama: “…are you’re still ignoring me?”  
Megatron: (To a Scout) “Check the lower decks of the ship, there may be some items we can loot in there.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Yep…still ignoring me…”

 _Gama pokes Megatron in the arm, only to have his hand slapped away casually.  
  
_ Megatron: “This ship has an annoying insect problem; do make haste.”  
Decepticon Scout: (Saluting) “Yes sir!”  
Gama: (Whimpering) “…annoying insect?”  
  
_Gama lowers his head and looks away, slowly heading back the way he came to the Decepticon ship; leaving Megatron and the scout parties behind.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “A few hours maybe isn’t long enough…maybe a day or two will be.”  
  
_A day had passed, and Megatron was STILL ignoring Gama; this made issuing orders to his father difficult, as Gama would have to say his orders to Shockwave or Cyclonus then have them tell Megatron. None of the crew was sure why Megatron was shunning Gama, and anyone who asked either of the pair got no answer.  
Gama realised that now his protective-lies were gone, he’d have to either form new ones or try to turn straight to get his father back on his side; he resorted to the lies again, dreading the idea of becoming like Crasher…a mushy figure, being pampered or spoken to none-stop by someone who annoys him. A son is what Gama wants, not romance.  
The first set of lies he put out for his father was telling females to act as if he’d mated with them, in exchange he granted them freedom should the act work. Whenever his father was looking, she’d act out that she was Gama’s current partner, and make up a story about how she’d met him .ect  
When those lies failed, with Megatron seeing through the acting quite obviously, Gama took the next step in the lies; he found females they’d abducted who had become pregnant within the time span of them being taken on-board the ship. He chose to try getting the females to pretend the children belonged to him, but again Megatron saw right through the lies and continued to ignore him.  
Two months had passed, and Gama was starting to run dry on lies he could tell his father; so he decided to stop with getting females to act like he’d mated them, and now was actually doing it and telling them to make sure Megatron knew about it…but yet again, Megatron believed they were just lies and didn’t say a word to Gama. And so, Gama hit the final option he’d laid himself out; tape it all, play it back to him so he could see that it was the truth…or appeared to be true.  
Gama had a tape of his recent courting and was ready to get his father to talk; he found Megatron sat in a chair over in the security office, watching security footage on monitors of the hostages whilst Shockwave took his break.  
  
_ Gama: (Slyly) “Oh…hello there, sir…I believe we’ve not spoken for a while, about a certain matter, have we?”  
  
_Megatron does not turn to look at Gama, or even speak; he sighs heavily in his seat and remains staring at the monitors._  
  
Gama: “I just spent quality time with a girl, she’s slightly younger than I am but that doesn’t matter, right?”  
Megatron: (Bluntly) “Liar.”  
Gama: (Confused) “…what?”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “These lies are tiresome; I need physical proof of these ‘encounters’ or I will never believe you.”  
Gama: (Smug) “Come on, father; I’m not gay anymore! Honest! I’ve just mated with my fourth female this month, and loved every second of it. (In Thought) That’s bullshit…it sucked ball-bearings…I miss Crashers thrusters.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “I believe we discussed this already; unless I have visible proof that you indeed did court and mate with a FEMALE then I will remain sceptical. And as you are here, with no female presently at hand, I call your bluff.” _  
_ Gama: (Smirking) “I have a tape this time.” _  
  
Megatron raises a brow as Gama reveals a videodisc and waves it at him, before placing it into the security computer allowing the footage to be displayed on one of the nearby monitors.  
  
_ Megatron: “How did you get this footage, exactly?”  
Gama: (Slyly) “It’s my room, and I always have a camera hidden in there to catch Shockwave with.”  
Megatron: (Curious) “Catch him?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I’m certain he’s the one constantly breaking my door lock and leaving me childish letters on my bed, and raiding my Energon Cooler.”  
Megatron: “I see…so this footage is valid security documentation.” _  
  
Gama nods as Megatron rubs his chin and stares at the monitor, before looking back at Gama and reaching over for the remote.  
  
_ Megatron: “We shall see then if you really are bluffing, Gama.” _  
  
Gama nods again as Megatron plays the video and sits back in his seat, watching carefully to detect any signs of deceit or acting. Gama smirks at the footage, shifting his gaze to his father every now and then to see his reaction; but Megatron, as always, remained stoic and emotionless. Totally unreadable. Gama begins fidgeting with his fingers as the video dragged on, and Megatron was showing no signs of anger or admiration.  
  
_ Gama: (Nervous) “So…this proves it, right? That I’m not gay?”  
  
_Megatron stares in silence as Gama cautiously tries to get closer to his father who growls in disapproval of the gesture. Megatron does not take his eyes off the video, and turns it off after he felt he’d seen enough._  
  
Megatron: (Coldly) “…what was that?”  
Gama: “It’s err…obvious isn’t it?”  
Megatron: (Angry) “What the FUCK was THAT?!”  
Gama: (Nervous) “M-me mounting a female?”  
_  
Megatron face-palms and mutters to himself, before tossing the remote at his sons feet.  
  
_ Megatron: (Coldly) “That was the WORST fake mating I’ve ever seen; even Starscream could have done better than that.”  
Gama: (Shocked) “Y-you still think I’m bluffing?!”  
Megatron: (Stern) “I know you all too well now Gama; you’re full of lies, just like your mother.”  
Gama: (Whining) “Even video can’t prove it? What do I have to do to prove I’ve changed to you?! I’m at a loss here!”  
_  
Megatron stares coldly at Gama and says nothing.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “…don’t tell me…oh Primus….please…” _  
_ Megatron: “The only way you can convince me, is to do it in front of me.”  
Gama: (In Thought) “…yeah…he suggested it…fuck…”  
Megatron: (Stern) “I know what you’re thinking, Gama…”  
Gama: (In Thought) “Do you now? Then I’m in more trouble when you realise I AM still gay…”  
Megatron: (Coldly) “If you mate in front of me, not only will you be exposed as a liar to me when you fail to perform the act, but I may desire to steal her from you…with violence if deemed necessary.”  
Gama: (In Thought) “Wow…that wasn’t expected…(Stern) So that should rule out that suggestion.”  
Megatron: “No Gama, it’s the best option you have left.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “What if I just brought you some Hatchlings of mine?”  
Megatron: (Sighing) “Gama, Gama, Gama…I’m not even supposed to lay optics on your young until they’re at least Teenagers due to the risks of infanticide.”  
  
_Gama narrows his eye and locks stares with Megatron.  
  
_ Gama: (Coldly) “You’d kill your own grandchildren?”  
Megatron: “A primitive strand of programming. I couldn’t override it even if I wanted to.”  
Gama: (Angry) “I’m still not going to do it in front of you; there has to be another way.”  
Megatron: (Bitter) “There is no other way; either do as I suggested or accept the fact I’ve lost what little respect I had for you.”  
  
_Gama looks at his feet and growls.  
  
_ Megatron: “It’s your move now, Gama. I gave you your options, and will now return to my silence until you give me an answer.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Well I have it for you right now; no.”  
Megatron: (Curious) “No?”  
Gama: (Pointing) “You didn’t believe the girls, that I can understand…but to call the tape a lie is bullshit and you know it.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “Then why would I call it a lie?”  
Gama: “Because…”  
Megatron: (Angry) “And for what reason would I want to purposely ignore you? Hmm? My own son?”  
Gama: (Shouting) “You want to humiliate me, because I’ve been more successful than you ever were at my age!”  
  
_Gama pants as he regains his composure, with Megatron sat in silence staring calmly back at his son.  
  
_ Megatron: “…you’re right about one thing; you far exceeded my expectations Gama, in your wits and strength…but to humiliate you? No.”  
  
_Megatron gets out of his seat.  
  
_ Megatron: (Stern) “You need to learn to stop lying, and if the only way you’ll learn is by me ignoring you until you tell the truth then so be it.”  
Gama: “B-but…”  
Megatron: (Growling) “I’ll end my shunning, but you’ll need to stop lying otherwise I’ll do it again. Understand?”  
  
_Gama lowers his head and nods lightly.  
  
_ Megatron: “Good. Now go to your quarters and think carefully about what we should do next, and try not to humiliate yourself further.”  
Gama: (Bowing) “Y-yes father…”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “Don’t bow; you’re the Leader.”  
Gama: “…sorry father.”  
  
_Megatron face-palms and groans.  
  
_ Megatron: (Groaning) “Just leave.”  
  
_Gama bows again as he backs out the office, bumping into something on his way out causing him to jump, turning around to see what it was he had accidently bumped into…  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “My apologies, my Lord!”  
Gama: (Growling) “….are you following me?”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “…s-sir?”  
Gama: “This is the second time I’ve bumped into you today, with you being somewhere you shouldn’t be.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “My break is over so…I’m returning to security duty…sire.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Hmm, I’d believe that if I didn’t feel you slip something into my back storage compartment…and if your check-in didn’t list you as ending your break in another twenty minutes!”  
  
_Shockwave lowers his head in shame as Gama removes whatever Shockwave slipped into his back compartment; another letter.  
  
_ Gama: (Reading) “No matter what you say or do, I will always admire and respect you….blah, blah, blah…yatter, yatter, yatter…love Shockwave.”  
  
_Shockwave blushes as Gama stares up at him.  
  
_ Game: (Cringing) “…love Shockwave?”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “It’s just…err…how do I put it…I um…respect you that much?” _  
  
Gama groans as he crumples the letter up and drops it on the floor.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “…and rightly you should; I’m your Leader. In the future; say these things verbally to me, these letters are childish.”

 _Shockwave sulks as Gama forces himself passed Shockwave, heading back to his quarters .  
  
_ Shockwave: (Pathetically) “S-sire…wait…”  
  
_Gama stops walking and sighs heavily, his back still turned on Shockwave.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “What is it now?”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “Y-you want me to say things to your face from now on rather than in the letters, well I have some information for you now, sire.”  
  
_Gama turns around to face Shockwave, who begins fidgeting with his claws nervously.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “Well I looked through the c-charts of everyone on deck-crew and other members of staff, and c-can safely say we now have enough followers to manage this ship with one hundred percent efficiency. We also have quite a few…hostages…that are using up valuable resources the crew could be using, so may I suggest we erm…get rid of them?”  
  
_Gama lifts his head slightly, looking at Shockwave snobbishly.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “I never wanted them to begin with, so I’ll gladly allow them to be removed.”  
Shockwave: “May I ask how you intend to remove the hostages, sire?”  
Gama: (Pointing) “I don’t care how they’re disposed of, I just want someone to do it; so you can do what you like with them.”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “I never asked if I could…”  
Gama: (Growling) “Do it anyway!”  
Shockwave: (Confused) “Do what sire?”  
Gama: (Shouting) “AGH! You’re annoying me by keeping me here with this pathetic chit-chatting! Just go and do your job; cut them up, crush them into cubes and dump them into the trash if you have to! They’re GARBAGE just like your foolish letters!”  
  
_Shockwave lowers his head and looks away from Gama’s angry looks, with his Master slowly drifting back to the more mellowed-down tone once he realised he’d upset Shockwave.  
  
_ Gama: (Apologetic) “…Shockwave…I…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout like that.”  
Shockwave: (Muttering) “No…it’s alright sire, I….understand…you don’t want me around.”  
  
_Shockwave turns to leave, with Gama’s eye widening in fear.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Primus…what’s wrong with me? Spark; racing…vision; blurring…feeling feint…”  
Shockwave: (Sadly) “I won’t trouble you again, sire…if you ever require my assistance, please come find me anytime.”  
  
_Shockwave slowly begins to walk away, with Gama fighting a hidden urge within himself as he watched Shockwave depart._  
  
Gama: (In Thought) “He’s leaving!! This isn’t happening!! (Shouting) WAIT!”  
  
_Shockwave stops and turns his head to look over his shoulder._  
  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “…what is it, sire?”  
Gama: (In Thought) “Why don’t I want him to go?!”  
  
_Shockwave looks at Gama with concern, and approaches him._  
  
Shockwave: (Worried) “…is everything alright, sire? Why are you crying?”  
  
_Gama tightly shuts his eye and tries to look away from Shockwave, who places his large clawed fingers onto Gama’s upper arms to comfort him.  
_  
Gama: (Crying) “I’m…I’m not crying…”  
Shockwave: (Whispering) “Of course sire, it’s just a glitch…like that pregnancy you had.”  
  
_Gama’s eye bolts open and he turns to lock eye-to-eye with Shockwave, hissing at him.  
  
_ Gama: (Hissing) “How did you know?!”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “Your father may not have spoken to you over the few months, sire, but I did…and…he kind of leaked the detail out to me…”  
  
_Gama looks away in shame and begins to cry again.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “This makes no sense…why am I crying?! Why should I care what he thinks about me?! This is all nonsense!!”  
Shockwave: “I can understand if talking about that subject is uncomfortable for you, sire, so I will never speak of it again. Now was there something you needed me for?”  
Gama: (In Thought) “Fuck yes! But I don’t know why it has to be YOU.”  
Shockwave: “Sire?”  
Gama: (Weakly) “H-help me…”  
  
_Shockwave raises his brow in confusion as he feels Gama begin to tremble in his hands.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Confused) “What may I help you with, sire? Are you feeling unwell?”  
Gama: (In Thought) “You have NO idea!”  
  
_Gama nods his head slightly, whereby Shockwave slowly moves Gama over to a nearby seat and sits him down.  
  
_ Shockwave: “I’ll run a very quick system check for you, alright Lord Gamatron? If this crying is a glitch, I’ll find it and repair it for you.”  
  
_Gama nods weakly again as Shockwave changes his left hand into a torch and begins examining the essential parts of Gama’s head that are easy to get damaged, such as the eye area and jaw._  
  
Shockwave: (Confused) “I see no malfunctions in your optic, your jaw or your other exterior points. The cause of the glitch must be inside.” _  
  
Gama shivers as he feels Shockwave tap his helmet with a claw.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “You’ll need to take your helmet off for a few moments, sire. I’ll examine your neural and nervous circuitry through the gaps in your crest.”  
  
_Shockwave lowers his head to look at Gama’s face better, and catches a small nod from his Lord in approval which granted Shockwave the right to take off the helmet.  
Once the helmet was removed, the first thing to catch Shockwaves interest was that Gama’s crest was displaying Fusion Drive colours, but he decided to keep that to himself for the moment and continued with the examination.  
Using his fine and more narrow tools, Shockwave was able to access Gama’s main nervous system through tiny gaps in the crest. He was quick to assess the data he received from the system and to return his hands to their original clawed states.  
  
_ Shockwave: “No malfunction, sire.”  
Gama: (Weakly) “…I don’t feel right though.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “…Lord Gamatron, please, look at the window beside you…it might clear something up.”  
Gama: (Whining) “Like looking outside will make a difference…”  
  
_Gama stops speaking as he looks at the window to see his reflection, his eye widening in shock as he noticed his crest was burning Fusion Drive colours. Gama is quick to place his helmet back onto his head.  
  
_ Gama: (Crying) “What is this?!”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “…it’s you. It has to be…”  
Gama: (Confused/Crying) “W-what? What’s me?”  
Shockwave: (Shaking Head) “Nothing…I am being foolish, sire.”  
Gama: (Whimpering) “Shockwave, I’m scared…my mood keeps shifting and I don’t know why…please, you have to help me.”  
Shockwave: “This ailment can’t be cured with any form of regular medication or fine-tuning, sire. You need ‘special treatment’ to be fully cured of this polar-shifting-mood.”  
_  
Gama sniffles and dries his tears before snarling at Shockwave.  
  
_ Gama: (Shouting) “Give me this special treatment!! Before I blast your face off!!”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Trust me, sire, I would if I…could…but certain regulations prohibit me from practicing this type of treatment with a superior officer.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “Fine! I lift all forms of regulations that stop you from performing this treatment!! Now FIX ME.”  
_  
Shockwave blinks in disbelief.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “Well..erm…how about we do the treatment a little later when I’m in the mood…”  
Gama: (Growling) “I want to frag-off…that is NOT like me…”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “Oh my.”  
Gama: “…I also want to gut you and put your remains in jars…which is also NOT like me…care to wait longer to see if I do one of those two things?!”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “S-sire…I need to prepare…please, go and rest…”  
  
_Gama suddenly starts crying again.  
  
_ Gama: (Crying) “I’m going to die, aren’t I?”  
Shockwave: “N-no…you just need some TLC.”  
Gama: (Whimpering) “TLC? I need some of that to cure this problem? Please, Shockwave, give me some…”  
  
_Shockwave blushes tremendously.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “N-not right now, sire…first, you need to give yourself some positive attention; go and rest, and err…do whatever you feel like you need to do.”  
Gama: (Sniffling) “A-alright…I’ll go lie down…”  
Shockwave: (In Thought) “Primus…he’s acting so chemical… just because he thought I was upset about him hating those letters? Even I knew they were a bad idea.”  
Gama: (Snarling) “You better give me that TLC soon though, otherwise out come your internal circuitry wires…and I skip rope with them!”  
Shockwave: “EEP!”  
_  
Gama snorts and leaves the area, heading back to his quarters and allowing Shockwave to think to himself for a while once he was certain Gama was gone.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Muttering) “Fusion Drive colours…highly chemical…strong, and rather strange, smell…they all say it’s him that’s in season, but it can’t be possible; he’s not female, he has no port, my examinations made that quite clear. But the pregnancy issue just raises the likelihood of him actually being…”  
  
_Shockwave places his head in his hands and mutters to himself in Cybertronian as the scene fades to black.  
  
_


	9. A Mighty Need

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooo! Heads up for more gay sex!

_The words ‘two days later’ appear, and the scene fades in on Gama in the Captains Chair; highly agitated, tapping his fingers on the armrests and cursing to himself with his father nearby.  
  
_ Megatron: “It would be a good idea to assign a destination, Gama.”  
  
 _Gama begins clawing at the armrest aggressively with his fingertips._  
  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “Do you want us to drift through space forever, aimlessly and foolishly?”  
  
 _Gama begins chewing on his spiked knuckles, refusing to look at anyone in particular._  
  
Gama: (Gnawing) “Earth.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “We’re not ready for a direct assault on Earth yet.”  
Gama: (Shouting) “Who’s in the Captains Chair?!”  
  
 _Megatron flat-brows and glares coldly at his son, who begins to twitch as he continues clawing the chairs armrest and chewing on his spiked knuckles._  
  
Megatron: (Curious) “You’re awfully…twitchy…more so than usual.”  
Gama: (Angry) “There’s this nagging voice in my head, screaming at me and trying to tempt me to do things I don’t want to! It won’t shut up! The images! The sounds! It won’t stop!”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “Ah…the voice of ‘reason’. You’ll find a way to control that eventually.”  
Gama: (Shouting) “My head is throbbing! Tell the voices to shut up!!”  
  
 _Megatron chuckles as Gama begins violently pulling at the armrests, until they broke clean off and Gama began to flail about in his seat, clutching his head._  
  
Gama: (Crying in Pain) “NO! I won’t do it!!! I---I’ll fight!”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Your ranting and suffering was amusing at first, but this is rather worrying. Even when the voice of reason came to me as Leader, it never brought me down to THIS.”  
Gama: (Whimpering) “It won’t leave me alone…it tells me to go somewhere…to do something…then repeats itself…”  
Megatron: (Sighing) “TRY to concentrate on something else then, it might help you forget the voices…like think about where we could go next. And stop that pathetic crying.”  
Gama: (Sniffling) “I’ll…try…”  
Megatron: “Good.”  
  
 _Gama straightens himself up, looking at the star charts (a type of map) and thinking of where to go before Earth._  
  
Gama: (Muttering) “I still think Earth should be our target, however…we could take the long route to it.”  
Megatron: (Pondering) “Hmmm…ah! I see now. This trip usually takes a month, which should give us plenty of time to prepare.”  
Gama: (Shouting) “Crewman! Set our target to Earth, but run the course through Sector Four instead of Sector One.”  
Crewman: (Nervous) “B-but Lord Gamatron…the Autobots have a Checking Station situated on that route…we’d never get through undetected with this much firepower.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Then hide the weapons in the lower decks walls.”  
Crewman: (Nervous) “M-my Lord…t-they may still…”  
Gama: (Angry) “Just do as I have instructed!!!” _  
  
Megatron narrows his eyes as he watches Gama fixate his gaze on the crewman.  
  
_ Megatron: (Stern) “Perhaps…you should take some time off to rest…we have our target now.”  
Gama: (Panting) “Yes…I…I think I will…”  
  
 _The crewman cowers as Gama turns away from him and begins heading towards the exit._  
  
Gama: (Growling) “I’m going to take some much needed rest, so my father Megatron is in temporary command. Nobody…disturb me.” _  
  
The crewman bows repeatedly as Gama turns to leave the Bridge, with Megatron watching him until he’d finally departed.  
Elsewhere, Shockwave was sat fidgeting with his claws in deep thought…  
  
_ Shockwave: (Muttering) “Damn it…this sensation is overwhelming…I promised myself I wouldn’t repeat the mistake I made back at the Breeding Facility those many years ago…but it’s getting so difficult to resist the temptation…” _  
  
He places his head in his hands and curses loudly.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Angry) “SLAG! The hell with it! This time of year and his current condition, he’ll want it as much as I do but will never admit it! I’ll just have to sit tight here so I don’t get us both into some mess.”  
  
 _He sits in silence for a moment, his head still in his hands, when he hears a strange noise and slowly lifts his head to look up._  
  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “Primus…I want him for who he is, not because of ‘that’. No matter how hard the voices try, I won’t do it. I think…maybe…I should lock myself in my quarters just to be on the safe-side.” _  
  
Shockwave gets up and begins heading towards his quarters; however, he has to pass a certain other individuals quarters before he can reach his own…  
Gama was wandering down the many corridors of the ship to reach his room; stomping his feet in anger, he curses to himself until finally reaching his chamber and opening the door.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “Locking mechanism, still broken…typical. I asked him, oh, four times now? Ugh…Shockwave…” _  
  
He mutters to himself as he tries to make the door lock work again, to no avail; he groans in annoyance before walking into his room, glancing at his bed and his Energon Hot tub trying to decide which to relax in. Gama eyes the bed for a while, as if making his decision, before approaching the bed and gently stroking his hand across the sheets.  
Gama sighs heavily as he throws himself face-first onto the bed, lifting his rear up whilst keeping his chest and head against the soft sheets of his bed.  
Purring softly as he spreads his legs apart, Gama raises his left hand and slowly pokes his fingers into his tailpipe, blushing and moaning weakly as he steadily planted them deeper and deeper until he couldn’t push them in any further. Once he was certain they were deep enough, he began searching for his G-spot, and began rubbing it quickly to trigger an orgasm.  
The rubbing wasn’t good enough, and he sought more pleasure from the spot by thrusting his fingers in and out of his tailpipe whilst ensuring they brushed against the G-spot, sending his belly fluttering into orgasm.  
Gama moans deeply as he intensifies his thrusting, causing his mattress to creak from the bouncing, feeling his port lubricate itself from the arousal of his self-servicing.  
Panting hard, his eye tightly shut, blushing from the orgasm he was experiencing; Gama was in bliss, but he also felt lonelier than ever having to do this to himself. But fate looked kindly upon him, as Shockwave had slowly opened the door to his masters’ chamber to see what the noise was all about, and the Commander stood in silence as Gama continued to pleasure himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “Sire?” _  
  
Gama gasps as he turns and sees Shockwave stood in the doorway to his chamber; his fingers still planted deeply into his tailpipe. The pair remains silent, simply staring at one another, before Gama removes his fingers and tries to pretend he was doing something else instead.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Shocked) “G-Gamatron…w-where you?” _  
  
Gama throws himself from his bed and covers his tailpipe, backing to a wall to prevent Shockwave seeing it._  
  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “My lord, you make quite the noise.” _  
  
Gama blushes as Shockwave closes the door and tilts his head, eyeing him carefully._  
  
Shockwave: “A port, sire? That is most interesting…at first, I thought you were simply using your tailpipe; but the look in your optic, Gamatron, sent shivers down my spine.”  
Gama: (Angry) “T-there’s no port…so don’t be foolish!”  
Shockwave: “I do believe I caught you using it, Lord Gamatron. And unfortunately, I cannot keep something like that a secret from your father…unless…” _  
  
Shockwave approaches Gama and pins him to the wall with force; Gama squirms to get free, but because of Shockwaves size it proved difficult to get loose as his huge clawed hands locked around his wrists.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “What am I doing?! I thought I was going to try and avoid this!? B-but…that look in his optic…was he really hinting something just now?” _  
_Gama: (Growling) “Again, Shockwave?! I thought you just wanted to use me before for thrills?!”  
Shockwave: “Thrills Gamatron? No, no, no…every time I look into that optic of yours, it fills me with emotions…emotions I must quench before I can concentrate on my logic again.” _  
  
Gama sweats nervously as Shockwave lifts him, forcing himself to sit on the larger Decepticons crotch, before groaning as his tool entered and worked its way deep into his port.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Purring) “I’ll never tell your father if you just allow me this moment with you.”  
Gama: (Growling) “When I get full-control of this crew---!!” _  
  
Shockwave chuckles as Gama firmly shuts his eye, as the much larger hose began its tunnelling process, narrowly opening his eye once he began to adjust to Shockwaves rhythm to make eye-contact.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Humming) “Such a stunning optic, Gamatron…it burns with a passionate glow.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “S-shockwave…”  
  
 _Shockwave makes a light hushing sound before thrusting a little harder, causing Gama to moan and his eye to narrow slightly but still maintain the eye-contact.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Purring) “That’s it Gamatron…let your optic burn with passion, feed my desire with your own.”  
Gama: (Groaning) “W-what desire? You’re blackmailing me.”  
Shockwave: “You may not feel it now, Gamatron, but soon you’ll realise the truth; that you want me inside of you, now and again in the future.”  
Gama: “I’m not being mated to you. I don’t like you.”  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “You say that now, but wait until later when nobody else will have you…then you’ll crawl right on back.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “If it’s about my optic, then when it gets repaired you’ll not want me either!” _  
  
Gama moans sharply as Shockwave thrusts harder into him, causing him to grip the wall, as if punishing him for speaking.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Even when or if you get that optic back, I’ll still want you. Unlike the others I’ve met, your optic tells me more than words ever can about what you want and feel.”  
Gama: (Groaning) “L-liar…I feel nothing for you.”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “The twinkle I saw in it, when I caught you in here ‘playing’ by yourself, tells me otherwise.”  
  
 _Gama growls as Shockwave continues to mock him, passionately thrusting deep inside his port._  
  
Shockwave: “How lonely it must feel, Gamatron, to have a special entrance nobody will ever fill for you…a fear of being exposed at having a weak point, an area for exploitation driving you away from those you want…like your father, for example.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “You keep your word Shockwave; he must never know.”  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “I’ll keep quiet if you make more noise, sire.”  
Gama: (Groaning) “I-if I make any more noise he’ll hear us.”  
Shockwave: (Purring) “Like how I heard you as I passed by here?”  
  
 _Shockwave chuckles as Gama blushes and attempts to look away from his captor, but Shockwave gently turns his face to look back at him.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Do not avert your optic, my lord, I wish to see it shine like your spark.” _  
  
Gama moans softly and pants as Shockwave began to thrust faster, tightly clinging to the wall as he slipped off the tip of Shockwaves hose with every thrust, only to fall back onto it as he pulled back. Gama shivers and shuts his eye as the barbs of Shockwaves hose locked onto his ports inner lining, pulling out the tracking device but not fully releasing it from his port. He tiredly opens his eye to look back at Shockwave, who in return lightly stared back.  
That was when Shockwave began thrusting harder, sending Gama into a fit of agonising moans and screams, as the sight of Gama’s lust-filled optic sent him seeking for more. As a result Gama’s port began to contract, as if begging Shockwave to release his Solder into him, and with every second that his port contracted Shockwave increased his speed and force to satisfy Gama’s bodily signals to get further feedback from him. Gama shivers as Shockwaves thrusting stimulated his port to lubricate itself, to allow it to go deeper with ease.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “Think about it, my lord…when you’re fully in charge, you could have anyone…”  
Gama: (Blushing) “Y-yes…”  
Shockwave: “But…they will never love you for who you are; it will only be what you are.”  
  
 _Shockwave pauses his thrusting for a moment, allowing Gama to regain his breath and concentration._  
  
Gama: (Blushing) “…and you are different to them, Shockwave? I don’t believe you.”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “Perhaps when you realise this truth I speak of, you will come back to someone who truly does love you.”  
  
 _Shockwaves optic dilates, as he becomes more excited once Gama’s met his again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Whispering) “…someone who needs you.” _  
  
Gama tilts his head and moans softly as Shockwave began thrusting again, but more slowly.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “You say you truly love me…that you need me…”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “That is correct, my lord.”  
Gama: (Smirking) “Hmph…maybe, Shockwave, it is I that needs you more than you need me.”  
Shockwave: “Sire?”  
Gama: (Purring) “Yes, it’s true what you said about me being the Leader will attract false ‘lovers’ seeking nothing but power from me…but you could be just like them. If you truly love me, need me, then prove it. Because I need you to be my commander, I don’t need you to satisfy my sexual needs that some female or common male can satisfy.”  
  
 _Shockwave blinks and blushes slightly.  
  
_ Shockwave: “You wish for me…to prove it?”  
Gama: (Nodding) “Yes. Prove it.”  
  
 _Shockwave hums to himself and ponders, before looking down at Gama’s belly.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “I want you…to carry our young.”  
  
 _Gama blushes and remains silent, as Shockwave began thrusting faster.  
  
_ Shockwave: “You can carry the physical embodiment of the love I have for you, my lord…the love we both make.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “B-but…if I get pregnant then father will know for sure…a-and I don’t love you…”  
Shockwave: (Whispering) “He knows you got pregnant already, or did you forget?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “B-but he thinks it was a fluke…a glitch…he doesn’t know about the port; so if it happens again he’ll suspect.”  
Shockwave: “I’ll handle it, trust me…I’d do anything for you my lord.”  
  
 _Gama moans sharply as Shockwave picked up his pace, wrapping his legs around his back, preventing him from retreating.  
Gama pants as Shockwave drilled him rhythmically, unable to speak as he became entranced in his bodily urges to suck out every drop of Shockwaves produce to create his young with. A sharp hiss as the barbs of Shockwaves large, thick hose erected again was quickly followed by moans of agony as Shockwave fucked him harder and deeper, attempting to lock his tip in the opening of the Cybertronian cervix which would assist in conception. Gama whimpers weakly as he feels Shockwave grip on to him tighter, readying himself for the burden he would soon receive from him.  
Panting with every push made inside of him, but refusing to break eye-contact, Gama’s Spark raced wildly sending further messages to Shockwave to go faster; and the faster Shockwave went, the more Gama wanted him. Shockwave’s Spark, also racing in excitement, triggers a primitive drive to activate within the deepest reaches of his psyche; logic and the primitive drive told him interfacing on the floor would further increase the chance of conception, and that was exactly what he was going to do.  
Shockwave pulls pack, with Gama still wrapping his legs around his waist, before throwing them both onto the floor and fucking Gama in a missionary position. Gama groaned in pain as the barbs began to grind faster, stimulating him into releasing his Unitron alongside some very high-pitched moans, and he felt his port begin a ‘sucking’ motion on Shockwaves hose.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Purring) “That’s it, my Lord…you’re doing marvellously.” _  
  
Gama moans softly as Shockwave retracted his mask, and leaned closer to kiss his neck; gently licking, nibbling and kissing Gama’s neck as he steadily slipped off his captives helmet, exposing his crest. Shockwave slows down his thrusting and hums in amusement as he seductively taps his claws over each protruding part of the crest.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “Fusion Drive colours…shall we try and turn those fiery colours into, say, the pink ones?” _  
  
Gama moans louder as Shockwave released his crest to grip onto his hips tighter, before thrusting fast once again. Gama was afraid to make eye-contact again in fear of causing Shockwave to fuck him with more force, and right now Gama couldn’t handle any further pressure.  
Shockwave hums in amusement again as Gama’s crest steadily turned pink, and the Leader class tightly shut his eye as he became entranced in orgasm, clinging to Shockwaves frame as if his life depended on it. And as Gama’s moans slipped out of him, Shockwave found himself returning lighter moans back to his partner, as his efforts began to show signs of effect.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Moaning) “Take my offering, my Lord…take it and all my love for you and treasure them forever.” _  
  
Shockwave leans closer to Gama, and with one final hard push into him Shockwave shivered, and he ejected his Solder into Gama’s gasping port. The port began sucking in every drop like a hungry animal, not a single spec fell out, and to make sure it stayed that way Shockwave remained totally still as his efforts flowed from himself and into his partner.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “Enjoyed my offering, my Lord?”  
Gama: (Blushing) “…shut up…”  
 _  
Shockwave chuckles as he feels Gama relax underneath his frame, submitting to him, before planting a gentle kiss on to his masters’ neck.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “If I get pregnant, you’re not going anywhere.”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “I never intended to leave your side ever again, my Lord.” _  
  
Gama purrs as Shockwave nuzzles his neck, breathing gently against him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Whispering) “So do you see now, Gamatron? The thing I mentioned earlier?”  
Gama: (Blushing) “The what?”  
  
 _Shockwave chuckles and taps his claws across Gama’s still exposed crest.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “It doesn’t matter.” _  
  
Gama shivers as he feels Shockwave move, slipping out a weak moan as he slowly began to retreat from his port.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “D-don’t…”  
Shockwave: “Sir?”  
Gama: (Blushing/Nervous) “D-don’t…don’t go…not yet…stay with me…”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “Of course, my Lord. I’ll stay with you.”  
  
 _Shockwave purrs lovingly as he makes eye-contact with Gama again, who slowly comes out of the trance triggered by his orgasms to realise what really just happened; he’d not only allowed Shockwave to impregnate him, but he also allowed himself to succumb to having feelings for him. He at first thought this moment together was to satisfy his bodily urges, but the longer Gama thought about it the clearer it all became; he loved Shockwave.  
As Gama was about to speak again, Shockwave bolted his attention to the door to the chamber as he heard someone open it. And there, stood in the doorway, was Megatron.  
Gama freezes in shock, as his father had a clear view of what had just happened, and dares not move to trigger any further arousal from both his angry father and his lust-filled partner.  
  
_ Megatron: (Angry) “Shockwave, what is this?!”  
Shockwave: “Sir, I was merely…”  
  
 _Megatron roars, causing Gama to roar back in rage.  
  
_ Gama: (Angry) “Nobody roars at Shockwave except ME.” _  
  
Shockwave attempts to speak, but Gama roars at his father again, only to receive a roar back. They exchange threatening looks, with additional growls and roars, before Megatron stands down.  
  
_ Megatron: (Angry) “Shockwave you better have a good explanation for this, otherwise you’ll die without me ever knowing what this was all about.”  
Gama: (Yelling) “Shut up!! I’m trying to relax here!!!”  
Megatron: (Angry) “I come all the way down here, after reports from the crew that Gama was screaming in pain, to find you interfacing with him! And Gama…when I thought you really had tried to lose your ‘gay nature’ I find you right back into it…I’m ashamed of you.”  
 _  
Gama lowers his head and growls.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Megatron, sir…Gamatron has a female port.”  
Gama: (Shocked) “You said you wouldn’t tell!!”  
Megatron: (Bitter) “…what.”  
Shockwave: “Gamatron has a female port, and with it the female urges to interface this way. It cannot be helped, sir.”  
 _  
Megatron face-palms and groans whilst thinking for a moment; he enters shock once he got a second look at what was in front of him, realising Gama could get pregnant.  
  
_ Megatron: (Shouting) “R-remove yourself from him Shockwave; don’t eject into that port or he’ll—”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “…I already have…the deed is done.”  
  
 _Megatron cringes as Shockwave retreats from Gama, who moans as his partners hose slowly slipped free; with the tracking device still lodged inside of his port, and only a few drops of Shockwaves Solder falling free to the floor. Gama sits upright to stare at his father better, whilst Shockwave stands nearby looking equally ashamed.  
  
_ Megatron: (Coldly) “…so this is how it’s going to be.”  
  
 _Gama lowers his head and looks away from both of the older Cybertronians.  
  
_ Megatron: (Coldly) “My son…seeking input over output…gay, not interested in obtaining a son of his own…it is truly hopeless, our line is destined to die out.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “…father…I...”  
Megatron: (Coldly) “Don’t talk to me right now, I need to think alone.”  
  
 _Megatron turns and leaves the room in silence, with Gama looking down at his feet in shame before throwing himself back onto the floor and attempting to roll, only for his spines to make that task difficult.  
  
_ Gama: “…a little help here, Shockwave? I can’t get back up….” _  
  
Shockwave sighs as he leans down to help Gama up, only to find himself dragged onto the floor and on top of him again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “Not had enough yet, sire?”  
 _  
Gama blushes lightly and strokes Shockwaves face, staring deeply into his eye.  
  
_ Gama: (Whispering) “I can’t roll side to side to boost the chance of conception, so you need to fuck me again.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “S-sire…does this mean?”  
Gama: (Smirking) “Get over that idea, Shockwave. I want you to satisfy my bodily urges, to obtain Sparklings, and nothing more.”  
  
 _Shockwave purrs lovingly as he wraps his arms around Gama, and hauls him up from the floor.  
  
_ Shockwave: “My Lord, I do believe we’ve done enough…your father---”  
Gama: (Blushing) “---doesn’t understand, Shockwave. Even if I didn’t have this port, I’d still be craving your hose to drill up my tailpipe; I was born gay, and I’m not going to change myself to impress him.”  
Shockwave: “I thought you tried that already, sire?”  
Gama: (Whispering) “That was before you made me realise the truth; that I do love being with males, that I do love being mounted by them, sucking at them, mounting them myself…”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “So you want to continue?”  
  
 _Gama purrs and rubs his face against Shockwaves chest, hugging him gently.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “Do you wish to switch places this time, sire?”  
Gama: (Whispering) “No…I’m the boss of the faction, so you can be the boss of my body this time.”  
Shockwave: “I am curious as to how you may perform on top though, my Lord.”  
Gama: (Whispering) “I’m nothing special, Shockwave…however, I was told I had quite a way with my tongue…and will gladly demonstrate.”  
  
 _Gama pushes Shockwave onto the bed, wrapping his arms under his legs to keep them apart, before kneeling beside the bed and sticking his head between Shockwaves legs, licking at his v-port doors. Shockwave blushes and ejects his hose, allowing Gama to take it into his mouth and begin sucking, moaning as Gama sucks vigorously, gasping with every retreat Gama made to take a quick breather, before moaning upon his resuming. Like a thirsty newborn seeking its mother’s milk, Gama gently nibbled the tip of Shockwaves hose between deep sucking sessions to try and get him to eject his Solder faster, but unlike his previous partner Crasher; Shockwave was larger and more robust.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “It seems your mouth hosts more than your magnificent speeches, my Lord.”  
  
 _Gama purrs as he pulls away from Shockwaves hose and begins licking the shaft length, sending shivers down his partners spine, before lightly placing his mouth over just the tip of the hose to begin sucking again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “G-Gamatron…my Lord…this won’t give us Sparklings…”  
  
 _Shockwave moans sharply as the steadily intensifying sucking sent his hose into mating mode, with the spikes keeping neatly tucked away, whereby Gama retreated from sucking and climbed up onto his lap. Gama stares lovingly into Shockwaves eye as he slowly rubs his tailpipe across his partners hard hose tip, before carefully allowing himself to sit onto the hose, granting it passage into his port once again.  
A slight hiss escapes Gama’s trembling lips as he begins thrusting himself up and down on Shockwaves lap, as the instant his ports lubricant made contact with his partners hose the spikes erected down the full length of the shaft. Shockwave purrs in approval as Gama began thrusting himself faster after having his mates hose tip find his G-spot, causing him to enter a trance as he passionately forced the spot to rub against Shockwaves hose.  
  
_ Gama: (Moaning Loudly) “Oh Primus…y-yes…h-harder…fuck…”  
 _  
Shockwave smirks as he felt his hose begin to swell, readying itself to eject a second time inside Gama’s gaping port.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Slyly) “You know, my Lord, that although this position stimulates your orgasms far better, it won’t assist you in conceiving anything.”  
 _  
Gama looks down at Shockwave, blushing tremendously, before thrusting as fast as he could handle causing him to no longer moan but instead begin panting from exhaustion.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Concerned) “S-sire…slow down, don’t exhaust yourself.”  
 _  
Gama ignores Shockwave and begins to sweat as he prolonged the thrusting, until Shockwave decided to take action and forced Gama onto the floor, once again putting himself on top.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “Sire, please, control yourself.”  
Gama: (Panting) “I can’t help it…y-you make my Spark run wild.”  
  
 _Gama nuzzles Shockwaves neck passionately, before raising his arms to rest behind his head, further displaying his submission to his partner who looks away briefly._  
  
Shockwave: “I don’t want you to hurt yourself or make yourself sick, sire. Please, take things slowly.”  
Gama: (Purring) “It was amazing though…your shaft really was the thing I needed up there, it fits perfectly.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “I…I’m glad to hear that…but please just be more careful.”  
 _  
Gama licks the side of Shockwaves face and wiggles his rear, as if telling his mate to begin thrusting.  
  
_ Gama: (Purring) “I want you inside of me, Shockwave…deep inside of me.”  
  
 _Shockwave blushes as he makes eye-contact again, seeing the passion in Gama’s eye._  
  
Gama: (Purring) “Fuck me like you did earlier…nice and hard.”  
Shockwave: “M-my Lord…”  
Gama: (Alluring) “Fill the pot with your sweet, sweet sugar, Shocky; fill it until it bursts out.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “S-shocky?”  
 _  
Gama wraps his legs around Shockwaves back, his crest glowing bright yellow and orange (fusion drive colours) telling his mate that he was not yet satisfied with their love making and was desiring more. Shockwave purrs as he lifts Gama up and carries him back to the bed, before stopping as Gama made a ‘tsk’ sound at him.  
  
_ Gama: (Alluring) “Not the bed just yet, Shocky…save that for later.”  
  
 _Gama points to the hot tub, which was full of a mixture of hot water and Energon. Shockwave glances to the tub and hums, whilst Gama licked his lips as Shockwave returned eye contact to him. Shockwave carries Gama to the tub and releases him, allowing him to climb into the tub and get comfortable.  
  
_ Gama: (Alluring) “Come on in, Shocky…the Energon is nice and warm.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “T-this won’t ensure conception either, sire.”  
Gama: (Seductively) “A good, long, hard fucking will make me put out more Unitron…so after we do it in here, we can go to bed…and you can give me all your half of the work…”  
  
 _Gama spreads his legs apart and teasingly circles a finger around his tailpipe, blushing as he stimulated the spot to flex open slightly.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Purring) “An excellent idea, sire.”  
Gama: (Purring) “Naturally.”  
 _  
Shockwave climbs into the tub and positions himself between Gama’s legs, before planting his hose deep into his tailpipe and up the port tunnel once more. Gama moans softly in approval as Shockwave began slowly thrusting.  
  
_ Gama: (Softly) “As nice as this feels, you need to go harder…pound me.”  
Shockwave: “I do not wish to hurt you, sire. My equipment is a lot larger than you may think, and harder. If I over stimulate your G-spot, it could become painful for you as your port contracts.”  
Gama: (Whispering) “Pain is part of the mating process for our kind, Shockwave. When my mother mated with my father, she was in agony as he did everything he could to ensure conception; you must do exactly the same thing here.”  
  
 _Shockwave blushes and sighs in defeat.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Very well, my Lord. Do tell me to stop if it becomes too much.”  
  
 _Gama nods before adjusting himself to relax better, as Shockwave gripped onto his hips tighter to prevent him slipping too much off his hose, as he began to drill into his port faster. Gama pants as Shockwaves fucking became more intense, and he tightly shuts his eye as he listened and felt his mates pulse ring through his hose and chest in excitement. He arches his head back, moaning loudly as the tip of Shockwaves hose began to collide with his cervix, eventually forcing it open and triggering him into releasing more Unitron for Shockwaves already planted Solder to bond with.  
Shockwave purrs as he felt his efforts take effect, as Gama became steadily limp in his arms and began moaning his name.  
  
_ Gama: (Moaning) “S-Shockwave…H-harder…”  
  
 _Shockwave tilts his head and whispers gently to his lover in Cybertronian, as he fulfilled his request and began fucking him harder, his hose tip now ramming with force against his cervix, causing it to spasm and send a wave of pleasure through Gama’s body. Steadily Gama’s port began to contract, attempting to suck out Shockwaves Solder again, resulting in his hose having less room to thrust in without the spikes grinding onto the inner linings. And, once the port had contracted to its tightest, Gama screamed in agony as the spikes of Shockwaves hose began to seriously grind within him; forcing Shockwave to stop thrusting.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Concerned) “S-sire? Shall we stop?”  
  
 _Gama flinches in pain and shakes his head, unable to speak as every time he opened his mouth all that slipped out was agonised moans and whimpers.  
Shockwave sighs and gently strokes Gama’s head, whispering to him in Cybertronian as he began the rough mating process again; within minutes of restarting, Shockwaves hose couldn’t hold back its content anymore, and he released his Solder into Gama’s port and deep into his Fusion Cavity.  
Due to Gama’s request at dragging out the ‘painful mating process’ for as long as possible, to increase the chances of conception, Shockwave didn’t pause to allow his Solder to offload without disturbances. He continued thrusting fast and hard, now lubricated by his produce to allow for faster and deeper fucking, causing Gama to continue his cries of pain .  
Shockwave gently leans in close to Gama and plants his lips against his own, kissing him tenderly and thereby ceasing the pained moaning for now; and Gama, now feeling reassured Shockwave was there for him, wrapped his arms over his mates shoulders and returned the kiss.  
As Gama began to adjust to Shockwaves rough mating, feeling more relaxed as time rolled on, his painful cries were replaced by softer moans. His port continuing to suck at Shockwaves pulsing hose, ready to catch anything that comes out and to carry it deep into his Fusion Cavity.  
It was at this point that Shockwave felt ready to up the process, and hauled both himself and Gama up and out of the tub, before resuming taking his mate stood upright. All the hard, fast mating was making him tired, but he realised that Gama was indeed correct in saying a longer session with bursts of rough-play would increase the conception rate from the low twenty percent they had before, all the way up to the ninety percentages.  
Shockwave hums as Gama went totally limp in his arms, and slowly began to carry his Leader from the tub to the bed whilst keeping his hose deep inside of his port. Once at the bed, Shockwave gently lowered Gama to lay on it keeping himself stood up with his hands on Gama’s hips, lifting his masters’ rear to keep his hose in-line with his port. It was then that Shockwave began gently thrusting, keeping eye-contact as he lovingly whispered in Cybertronian to his mate.  
  
_ Gama: (Whispering/Blushing) “S-Shockwave…you’re so…gentle…”  
Shockwave: (Whispering) “I didn’t feel comfortable taking you like that, even if it does increase conception chances, I couldn’t keep doing it to you.”  
 _  
Gama purrs lovingly as Shockwave continues his gentle but deep love making, gasping with every time his cervix was pushed open by his mates hose.  
As Shockwave formed eye-contact with Gama, his Spark began to race, and he wanted to go faster; but increasing his speed would mean putting Gama in pain again, and he did not want to do that. However, Gama’s steadily growing expression of submission was proving difficult for Shockwave to ignore, and he found himself thrusting that tiny bit harder to get feedback from his partner.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “Tell me if it hurts, sire.”  
Gama: “*Moaning excessively*”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “Do try to speak outside of your moaning, sire…I know you’re enjoying yourself, but I do want to know when it gets too painful.”  
 _  
Shockwave tilts his head as he sees droplets of Energon-tears leak from Gama’s tightly shut eye, sighing heavily to slow his pace down. He gently wipes away the tears, still gazing lovingly at his partner.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “…why are you crying?” _  
  
Gama opens his eye only for more tears to begin leaking out.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Concerned) “Is it painful? Do you wish for me to stop?”  
  
 _Gama sniffles and leans up, before plating a kiss onto Shockwaves lips.  
  
_ Gama: (Crying) “…I…I think…I might love you.”  
  
 _Shockwave chuckles softly, before wiping the tears away again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Purring) “I know that I love you, my Lord. There is no need for tears.”  
Gama: (Sniffling) “I want to be certain…about it…myself.”  
Shockwave: “Give it time, sire. You’ll know sooner or later, and I can wait.”  
Gama: (Sniffling) “N-no…I need to know now. So mate me…take my Uplink Cable; hook me up to you, so I can see if it is possible for me to form a SparkMate Bond right now.”  
 _  
Shockwave blushes as Gama lies limply across the bed, ejecting his Uplink Cable.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “If I can form it that means what I feel…is true. So do as I’ve instructed.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “O-of course, sire.”  
  
 _Shockwave takes Gama’s cable from the bed and links himself to him, allowing Gama to form a Bond whilst Shockwave continued with the mating process. Once the Bond was formed, Gama shakes his head of the crying, before smiling at Shockwave cheerfully._  
  
Gama: (Softly) “…Shocky…”  
Shockwave: “My Lord?”  
Gama: (Sweetly) “Call me Gama from now on, Shocky.”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “Gladly, my dear.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “Dear works too.” _  
  
Gama leans up and kisses Shockwave again, before moaning as Shockwave thrust faster; Gama retreats his Uplink Cable to prevent it distracting Shockwave from his current task at impregnating him. Once Shockwave read the Data on Gama’s bodily limits, thanks to the Bond, he knew exactly how to take him to create that brood of eggs; face-to-face, slowly but deeply. Shockwave chuckles as he notices he already had done that, as if instinctively knowing that would work best, and continued to read Gama’s Data whilst resuming his duties on top of his mate. Shockwave climbs onto the bed and continues the mating in a missionary position.  
Now that they both had a Bond, Gama knew how to respond to Shockwaves movements in the mating process; as his partner thrust into him, he would thrust back to ensure every fuck he had made inside of him was hard and deep. Gama thrusts himself faster against Shockwaves thrusts as he feels his mate readying himself to ejecting his Solder, desperate to take it inside of him; he arches his back, enabling Shockwaves hose to dig into his port totally straight for maximum efficiency when offloading.  
As Shockwaves hose erected its spikes again, Gama began panting and forcing out painful whimpers, but continued his returning thrusts to speed up the process; it comes as a relief as Shockwave finally came into his port, with his partner refusing to move as he offloaded every single drop within him, feeling his port suck out the stream of life into his waiting Fusion Cavity.  
  
_ Gama: (Panting) “Stay still…don’t move…make sure it’s all inside…”  
Shockwave: (Panting) “I’m not…going anywhere…in a hurry…”  
  
 _Gama closes his eye as he regains his breath, feeling Shockwave breathing hard himself._  
  
Shockwave: (Panting) “This has to have been…the most enjoyable ‘chat’…I’ve had with a Leader, my dear…thank you for having it with me.”  
 _  
Gama chuckles as he pants, before stretching his limbs and relaxing again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Panting) “You…should carry…a nice brood…Gama…”  
  
 _Gama nods an “mhmm” as he lies with his eye closed, a smile on his face, as he slowly showed signs of drowsiness. Shockwave also showed signs of fatigue, feeling his arms shaking as he held himself up to stare down at his mate.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Panting) “I’m…so tired…”  
  
 _Gama yawns and tiredly opens his eye, before nodding an “mhmm” again._  
  
Shockwave: (Panting) “I’m…pulling out…in three…two…one…”  
  
 _Shockwave groans as he slowly retreated from Gama’s port, before throwing himself alongside his partner panting in exhaustion. Gama purrs lovingly as he forces himself to turn onto his side, staring deeply into Shockwaves eye before yawning again and drifting to sleep alongside his steadily drifting into slumber partner.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Whispering) “…my dear, sweet master…as your belly swells with our young, our love will also blossom into something truly magnificent.”  
  
 _Shockwave huddles closer to Gama, before snuggling up next to him to plant a kiss onto his sleeping forehead. Once the kiss was done, Shockwave closed his eye and drifted to sleep beside his lover in silence.  
Several hours later, after that much needed rest, Shockwave awakened lying on Gama’s bed without sight or sound of his partner. He sits upright, scouting his vision around the room in a daze and catches sight of the hot tub, purring with the occasional yawn on his sluggish walk to soak in it.  
Shockwave moans softly as he relaxes in the tub; quick to begin cleaning himself with the Energon and finally hearing indications that his mate was coming back to the room…along with someone else.  
  
_ Gama: (VO/Shouting) “I’m the Leader now, and I’m an adult, so you have no right to deny me what I want!!”  
  
 _Gama kicks the door to his room open, with Megatron following him into the room, slamming the door behind him. Shockwave remains motionless in the tub, lowering himself slightly to avoid getting involved in the father-son conflict.  
  
_ Megatron: (Angry) “Shockwaves a security guard; even if I allowed you a male mate, I would never accept you having such a low-ranking one!”  
Gama: (Snarling) “He WAS a security guard!”  
Megatron: (Hissing) “And he still is!”  
Gama: (Shouting) “WAS! I’ve promoted him to chief of science!”  
 _  
Megatron growls and folds his arms.  
  
_ Gama: (Groaning) “What now?!” _  
_Megatron: (Annoyed) “I just should have known you would have a thing for medics…you always use to pretend to be one.”  
Gama: (Angry) “I don’t love him because he’s an experienced surgeon; I love him because he loves me!”  
Megatron: (Laughing) “He loves you…oh this is so childish.”  
Gama: (Shouting) “HE DOES.”  
Megatron: (Chuckling) “What was it Soundwave use to say to me in my youth?…ah, that’s right…“A foolish belief; thought up by a foolish fool.” And you, Gama, are that fool.”  
  
 _Gama snarls and bears his fangs at Megatron, who quickly poses a sharp glare back at Gama._  
  
Megatron: (Stern) “Gama; as a Cybertronian with vast knowledge in science, tell me what stage of the year we are in.”  
  
 _Gama stops his threatening looks and ponders.  
  
_ Megatron: (Quietly) “Come on Gama, even I know this.”  
  
 _Gama meekly looks away, refusing to make eye contact.  
  
_ Megatron: (Quietly) “So you do know.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “I don’t believe it, though.”  
Megatron: “Those female Autobots we abducted…they weren’t abducted to be hostages, they weren’t to be used for scientific study…we took them because of THAT, and Shockwave took YOU because of it too.”  
Shockwave: (Shouting) “That’s a LIE!”  
  
 _Shockwave bolts up and out of the tub, catching the father and sons attention.  
  
_ Gama: (Meekly) “S-shocky…how long where you….?”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “I’ve been here long enough to know what your father is suggesting.”  
Megatron: (Angry) “And it is true, Shockwave.”  
Shockwave: “I can clearly tell you right here, right now, that it’s not true.”  
Megatron: (Laughing) “You never had feelings, Shockwave; ever.”  
  
 _Shockwave glares at Megatron._  
  
Megatron: “Ever since we were Sparklings you didn’t have any interests in anyone but yourself or your duties…you even refused to take the Rite of Passage. You do not ‘love’, you only follow ‘natures call’ to you…and I know this as a fact, because I’ve known you far longer than my son ever has.”  
Shockwave: (Coldly) “You may have known me longer; but Megatron, you really don’t know anything about me...”  
Megatron: (Laughing) “Is that so?”  
Shockwave: “You never knew I was…gay. Or that I worried for your safety.”  
  
 _Megatron remains silent, flashing an unreadable expression.  
  
_ Gama: (Nervous) “S-Shocky…you don’t have to…”  
Shockwave: “I do, dear…he needs to know.”  
  
 _Shockwave lowers his head and sighs, before looking back up to the father and son.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Logic has indeed ruled me most of my life, but I allowed it to so I could forget my…strange feelings…up until now that is. When I first held Gama in my arms back when he was a Sparkling, it made me want to have my own even more than ever before…and raising Crasher was troublesome, I admit, but that also heightened my desires to have Sparklings with someone. Why didn’t I try a female, I bet you’re thinking…”  
Megatron: (Stern) “That is right.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “…females do not interest me in the slightest.”  
Megatron: (Laughing) “Shockwave, I saw you fighting your urges around females many times.”  
Shockwave: (Angry) “Those urges only happened around this time of year! It was nature, not what I wanted!”  
  
 _Megatron mutters to himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “Just because it’s mating season doesn’t mean I took Gama to quench an instinctive drive…I did it because I do love him…I always have done…this time of year just made us both weaker, but it was fortunate that we both really DO want each other anyway.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “It’s all nonsense.”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Believe what you want, Megatron…you just need to keep your fingers out of Gama’s affairs; let him live life feely as an adult.”  
Megatron: “One mistake can start a chain reaction, Shockwave; one tiny, trivial mistake. Just like one little lie he said, suddenly became one massive tall-tale inferno that I am STILL trying to extinguish.”  
Shockwave: (Coldly) “He only lied to impress you.”  
Megatron: (Laughing) “And how do you know that he’s not done the same to you?”  
Shockwave: “Because I did something you never did with the Breeder; showed respect.”  
Megatron: (Annoyed) “He’s a Leader; you should be showing him respect every second of your meaningless life. A Breeder needs no respect.”  
Shockwave: (Smirking) “…is that so, Megan?”  
  
 _Megatron snarls.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “…Megan? Huh?”  
Megatron: (Growling) “You dare show such disrespect, Shockwave!?” _  
_Shockwave: (Pointing) “You’re not the Leader anymore ‘Megan’, and so if you want to stick to your belief of a ‘leader always having to be respected’ then, you should quite easily live without it now you no longer have that title.”  
Megatron: (Angry) “So once my son’s lost his title, you’ll disrespect him?! You’re a filthy---!”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Gama will always have my respect; he’s my mate, and I earned the right to be his mate…just as he’s earned the right to carry my offspring. Without respect you cannot have trust, and without trust you cannot maintain a relationship. And so, because you never respected Solarflare, shi could never trust you and constantly lied to you to protect hirself. You, indeed, sowed the seeds of lies in that relationship; and Gama, being your son, observed that and mimicked it in every way because you made him think that behaviour was right.”  
Gama: (Meekly) “…I’m not like that, am I? Disrespectful…that is…”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “Of course not.”  
  
 _Megatron huffs and turns his back on Shockwave, allowing Gama to scurry over to his mate and cling to him.  
  
_ Shockwave: “A little respect goes a long way, Megatron.”  
Megatron: (Bitter) “…some do not deserve such respect, though, Shockwave.”  
Shockwave: “Which is why you do everything you can to earn it.” _  
_Megatron: (Annoyed) “And so, if my son does get pregnant, Shockwave…”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “I’ll be there for him, one hundred and fifty percent.”  
Megatron: (Coldly) “You better be, otherwise any shred of respect I had for you is long gone.”  
  
 _Megatron storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him.  
  
_ Gama: “You didn’t have to do that.”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “Yes I did, Gama. I’ve been meaning to tell him those things for quite some time, but I never had the confidence to do it.”  
  
 _Gama meekly looks away, before looking up at Shockwave again once he felt the large Decepticons claws tapping his helmet.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Smiling) “Do you wish for me to escort you to the Bridge now, dear? You seem well rested.”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “All that time you slept I spent rolling around and running around the ship like a maniac, I only took a short nap next to you.”  
Shockwave: “So you’re tired?”  
Gama: (Yawning) “A little, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”  
  
 _Shockwave ‘tsks’ and gently nudges Gama to the bed, who resists and tries to squirm away.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Chuckling) “You need to rest to allow your Fusion Cavity to maintain the bonding process at maximum efficiency. Lie down and go to sleep, Gama.”  
  
 _Gama pouts as Shockwave picks him up and sets him on the bed, patting him gently on the head.  
  
_ Gama: (Yawning) “I’m not that tired…I can…stay…awake…”  
  
 _Gama stretches in a yawn, before curling up on the bed to sleep. Shockwave leans down and plants a light kiss onto Gama’s cheek, before leaving the room and heading down the corridor towards his own quarters. When Shockwave reached the door to his room, just as he was about to open the door, Megatron slammed a hand onto the wall and caught Shockwaves attention.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “S-sir…you startled me.”  
Megatron: (Stern) “You just took off and left him.”  
Shockwave: “He needs rest, sir…me being there, taking up all that space on the bed, would make his sleep restless and awkward for both of us.”  
Megatron: (Snarling) “I never said you needed to be sleeping next to him, or even lying on the bed next to him! You should ALWAYS stay near him until you’re certain he’s pregnant.”  
Shockwave: (Curious) “…you mean you want him to…?”  
Megatron: (Growling) “You’re mated to him now, and with that bond comes a large responsibility; defend your mate from all potential threats.”  
Shockwave: “Are you suggesting someone may ‘steal him’ from me?”  
 _  
Megatron chuckles and moves closer to Shockwave, making him more uncomfortable._

Megatron: (Smirking) “Remember when I thought I just had Starscream to deal with, whilst I was courting Gama’s mother?”  
Shockwave: “Uhhh…”  
Megatron: (Angry) “Soundwave snuck in and STOLE her! I was certain she was MINE, and that I just had to keep Starscreams hands off of her! You could be in the exact same boat!”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “Gama is not like that, he chose me. And he’s not a Breeding Unit so he’ll remain monogamous.”  
 _  
Megatron snorts.  
  
_ Shockwave: “I’ll go back to his chamber though if it will make you feel better.”  
Megatron: (Snobbishly) “You damn well better; I’m expecting Sparklings from this union of yours, not just some cheap ‘loving relationship’ nonsense.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “We can have both, Mega.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “Don’t call me that.”  
Shockwave: “I’ll make note of your request. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just grab some things and then head back to Gama’s chamber.”  
  
 _Shockwave heads into his room and gathers some things, only to find Megatron still lurking by the door.  
  
_ Megatron: (Stern) “His gestation period should last three months. All leader-Class-born females have a development that long, so he should be no different.”  
Shockwave: (Sighing) “I know, Megatron.”  
Megatron: “He’ll also become highly aggressive after one month, meaning you won’t be able to set foot near him until he’s laid his eggs…if he really does behave the same way as a leader-class-born female…”  
 _  
Shockwave sighs and begins walking down the corridor back to Gama’s room, with Megatron not choosing to follow him.  
  
_ Megatron: (VO/Shouting) “After a month you won’t be allowed near him!”  
  
 _Shockwave mutters to himself and waves his arm at Megatron, signalling he understood (but didn’t care.)  
  
_


	10. Memories

_The days rolled on, with nobody on board knowing of what had been transpiring between their young Leader and his secret lover. It would be a month into the pregnancy that the signs became obvious that something was going on; the weight gain, the mood-swings, the stealing of others minerals to feed his growing youngster with. And to everyone’s shock (and to some, amazement) Gama came clean and told everyone Shockwave was his mate, just to clear things up that he was behaving as a pregnant Decepticon (and was not just an asshole).  
Megatron was strict in keeping Shockwave away from Gama now a month had passed, considering how dangerous Gama could become in this condition, so the restrictions imposed onto Shockwave and Gama were for their own safety.  
But Shockwave remained vigilant in keeping close to his mate, to make sure he was feeling alright and healthy, but made sure not to get too close. He, however, still desired to get physically close to Gama again…and because of this; Megatron ordered guards to be posted outside of Gama’s chambers, the wash room and the repair bay.  
Shockwave had followed Gama to the shower/wash room, and thought the coast was clear to follow him inside, when out of seemingly nowhere a guard rushes in front of the door and blocks him._

Guard: (Saluting) “You are not permitted to enter this room until Lord Gamatron has finished, sir!”  
Shockwave: “…says’ who?”  
Guard: (Militant) “Megatron, sir!”  
Shockwave: (Chuckling) “You still take orders from him? He’s old…old in chassis AND in ranks.”  
Guard: “How dare you! He’s a highly respectable and admirable veteran!”  
Shockwave: (Teasing) “Did Megan tell you to prod me with a stick if I tried to go inside that room, hmmm? An itsy-bitsy little stick?”  
Guard: (Stuttering) “H-he gave me a-authority to use mace…or b-b-beat you with a club…”  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “And just standing here, waiting for him to come out?”  
  
 _The guard doesn’t answer, and Shockwave leans forwards with his hands on his hips._  
  
Shockwave: (Purring) “Well?”  
Guard: (Annoyed) “Yeah…just stand there…’cause you’re not going inside.”  
  
 _Shockwave smirks and folds his arms, sighing heavily._  
  
Shockwave: (In Thought) “Ah, the life of a guard…I remember now…those many years back…”  
  
(FLASHBACK)  
  
 _The scene fades into images of the past Cybertron, with Galvatron still in charge; Shockwave is sat at the Control and Security room for the Breeding Facility, tiredly resting his head in one of his hands as he clicks through the security cameras one by one. He yawns as each camera indicated no change and stretches in his seat.  
Groaning in boredom, Shockwave places his hands behind his head and puts his feet up beside the camera controls; still staring at the monitors as instructed for anyone or anything abnormal to pass through the facility.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “My job as Security for the Breeding Facility was boring; watch this monitor, watch that monitor, bring Galvatron his breeding unit, put the breeding unit back in its cage…it was the same thing every week. I only ever looked forward to one day each month in that dull and boring position…”  
  
 _Shockwave raises his brow in amusement and leans forwards to the control panel again, clicking the camera controls to display one cameras footage on the main monitor; in the footage was Gama, talking to a security guard and displaying his Clearance to enter the facility.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “It was not love back then; it was lust. I never got to speak to Gama once I handed him to his father, back when he was still an infant, so there was no connection or way of bonding with him to make it anymore than just lust. When I looked at him in his matured stage, brightly coloured and radiating with chemical activity, I simply wanted to do things with him that where unspeakable as his subordinate.”

 _Shockwave manipulates the controls to zoom in closer on Gama, who was looking very annoyed at the guard and appeared to be arguing with him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I watched in that dark room totally alone, and I thought…no…yearned, to get close to him. But it was not going to happen.” _  
  
Shockwaves look of enthusiasm dims down the instant Galvatron appears alongside Gama on the footage; he throws himself back into his seat again sighing heavily, tapping his claws on the chairs armrest in annoyance as he monitored the father and sons trek through the facility.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “Every time he wanted to see his mother, the breeding unit Solarflare, his father always accompanied him to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid. I knew Gama would do anything to help get hir free, which is why Galvatron never questioned why I always stared so much at what he was doing whenever they both visited; he thought I was making sure Gama would not let his mother out, but I was really watching Gama and fantasising about what I’d want to do to him and his body.”  
  
 _The scene fades out and in on the same spot, but Shockwave was looking through documents this time and was looking at the monitors on the odd occasion.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “He would always be in my dreams, submitting to me and crying for me to fuck him with no remorse or mercy.”   
  
_Shockwave places the documents down and stares at the monitors again._  
  
Shockwave: (VO) “Why did I want to mate with him and not one of the hundreds of females in the facility? I, personally, blame the insane amount of chemicals he was radiating at that age; I was surprised the men in his attack squad didn’t try to mount him, or run in fear of him mounting them, since the instant he walked inside of a room the smell hit you. His half-brother Crasher was worse, I admit; having been able to be sniffed out a mile away in comparison to Gama who needs to be in the same room as you to smell anything…but it was those chemicals alone that kept me interested.”  
  
 _Shockwaves eye dilates in excitement as he sees Gama enter the facility, and watches him carefully as he gets past the guard this time; Galvatron was nowhere in sight, which made Shockwave even more excited.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “He didn’t smell like a normal male, and he certainly didn’t smell like a hermaphrodite or like a female…and to be perfectly honest; I could never understand why until now.”  
 _  
Shockwave blushes and taps the monitor with his claws, mimicking them to walk behind Gama and poke him in the back.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “He hid the fact he was gay very well from everyone, especially for so long…and that was the reason, I thought, why he smelt different. But I was wrong.”  
  
 _Gama stops in the corridor and begins looking around as if he was lost, perking Shockwaves interests.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “There is not just ‘one mate’ for you; such a concept would be impossible, impractical, inefficient, illogical. You could spend forever trying to find that mate, who could be on a totally different planet to you, or in human terms ‘a different country’.”  
  
 _Shockwave purrs as he continues watching Gama aimlessly wander the corridors of the facility, now certain the youth had become lost._  
  
Shockwave: (VO) “You humans find your mates by communication, by appearance or by activities…but we Cybertronians; we detect our perfect mates by smell. As an example…a female may look at a male and think ‘he’s meant for me because he looks gorgeous’ but in actual fact, she knew that he was her suitable partner by smelling him out. His scent told her of his current health and condition, how fertile he was and how old he was, which meant that she knew how he’d look before even SEEING him. It is why Super Breeders leave scent marks everywhere; the smell tells the females he is a Breeding Unit, and that he has the best Robonetics to create her offspring with.”  
  
 _Shockwave taps his claws across his crotch, humming to himself in deep thought.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “So Gama’s scent told me that he was perfect for me, and I didn’t even realise it. I felt the lust, the desire. I thought of it as nothing more than me being bored of my duty and my mind wishing to satisfy a need, which I denied myself as a youth, to have.”  
  
 _Shockwave gets out of his seat and flips a switch, causing a mass of tentacles to grab onto Gama’s limbs and bind him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “…and that need was to find and court a mate.” _  
  
Shockwave watches as Gama struggled in a panic until eventually passing out from the sedation gas, each one usually emitted to subdue trespassers, but Shockwave had sedated Gama for a different reason; he was not going to lock him up for trespassing, he was going to use this chance to get close to the prince of the Decepticon Empire.  
Once Shockwave was certain Gama had gone to sleep he rushes out of the security station and gathers the unconscious prince, returning with him to the station and ensuring the door was locked from the inside before sitting back in his chair, with Gama sleeping in his arms.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I was just like him; a closet gay Cybertronian. Afraid of telling anyone about what I felt and who I felt it for, seeking a life of logic to dowse out the pains caused by my abnormal choice of partner. Gama fought so hard to put up the false front for his father, his family, his comrades…but in that room with him, I found out about it.”  
  
 _Shockwave spreads Gama’s legs apart and sits him down on his lap, ejecting the tip of his hose and rubbing his sleeping partners tailpipe against it; Gama blushes in his sleep but does nothing else.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “He was gay, I was gay…we were meant for each other. I could never expose him as being gay, as that would put me under the spotlight of suspicion as well.”  
  
 _Shockwave retracts his mask and meekly plants a kiss onto Gama’s lips, pulling back to see how he reacted; but he still got nothing._  
  
Shockwave: (VO) “The lust I felt needed to be quenched. It didn’t matter to me if he was asleep or awake; I wanted…no…HAD, to fuck him.”  
  
 _Shockwave allows his hose to eject to its full length into Gama’s tailpipe; Gama moans and his blush intensifies, but he remains in sleep due to the heavy sedation. Shockwave begins thrusting Gama up and down on his lap, steadily getting faster and harder.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “Gama…I was trying him on for size to see if he was one of those ‘ideal matches’ to be my mate; I’d lived a life of solitude, without physical interactions often associated with ‘love’.”  
  
 _Shockwave moans as he goes that little bit harder, forcing Gama’s body onto the floor with his legs in the air.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “As impossible as it may sound; I never took the Rite of Passage…I was just one of those fortunate few Cybertronians who grew large very quickly without having to mate with anyone…so Gama was my first time, and it felt right that it was him.”  
  
 _Shockwave pants as he became very excited by what he was experiencing, closing his eye as he steadily began to feel Fusion Lock try to overcome him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I was a little rough, but I was excited. The instant my hose was surrounded by that tailpipe my brain screamed at me to get some friction, swarm my body with pleasure and thrills; the suppression I had for millennia was going to be broken at last.”  
  
 _Shockwave groans as he ejects into Gama’s tailpipe, panting heavily as the erupting Solder ripped off the remains of his hose tips seal, thereby ending his virginity and allowing his hoses spikes to erect for the first time. Gama was blushing in his sleep, and was totally unaware of what just happened.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “Was it rape? I hate thinking of it that way…it is complicated to explain why I just went and…did it.”  
  
 _Shockwave gathers his composure and releases Gama, before taking the youth back to where he had found him and setting him on the floor.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “Let me put it this way; I was afraid of rejection…he was the prince, and I was a male Security Officer. His father was firm in him getting a female mate, so if I asked Gama to mate with me…well…I’d have been castrated or shot, as possible examples of the light punishments. I still dread to think over what the harsher penalties would have been.”  
  
 _Gama awakens on the floor with Shockwave stood nearby a few moments later. Gama squints in pain and grasps his rear.  
  
_ Gama: (In Pain) “S-Shockwave….w-what happened to me?!”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “A trap malfunctioned, sire. You got caught up in it.”  
  
 _Shockwave assists Gama in getting up.  
  
_ Gama: (In Pain) “M-my tailpipe…hurts so much…”  
Shockwave: “Sorry to say, sire, but whilst I was dealing with the fool who set the trap off to begin with the device…how should I put it…’had its way with you’?”  
 _  
Gama whines as Shockwave begins escorting Gama from the facility.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “So I lied to him back then…no monster trap sprung by accident and hacked him that day; I sprung a trap to catch him, then I had my way with him.”  
  
(END FLASHBACK)  
  
 _The scene fades back in on Shockwave stood outside the shower room, with the security guard still blocking the door.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “He knows now what really happened, and quite frankly I’m surprised by how he took it; he doesn’t seem to care.”  
Guard: (Annoyed) “You can stand there all you want, Shockwave, but Megatron said you’re not allowed to (cough) ‘handle’ Gamatron whilst he’s in this condition.”  
  
 _Shockwave smirks.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “The foolish guard…I’m certain that right now my sweet Gama is craving my attention, and I’ll give him plenty of it before we reach our destination.”  
  
 _The guard twitches as Shockwave flexes his claws and takes in a heave of air through his nostrils.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “The smell still sends my Spark running wild…I must go in there!”  
  
 _Shockwave smirks deviously at the guard who looks back at him slightly nervously._  
  
Guard: (Confused) “…Shockwave…what’s with that weird grin on your face?”  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “Oh, I’m just having a flight of fantasy…why, do you wish to know what it was I was fantasising about?”  
Guard: (Nervous) “Errr…no thanks, I can probably guess what it was about…”  
Shockwave: “Your guess will likely be wrong.”  
Guard: (Annoyed) “Oh yeah? Try me!”  
Shockwave: (Smirking) “Alright then, let’s make a bet…if you guess right, I’ll leave the area immediately. If you guess wrong, then I get to peek inside the room.”  
Guard: (Nodding) “Sounds fair to me; Megatron only said you couldn’t ‘handle’ Gamatron…never said anything about you seeing him.”  
Shockwave: “Good…good…the fantasy is in three parts, so you need to guess all three correctly…now guess!”  
  
 _The guard ponders for a few minutes, with Shockwave watching in interest; fiddling with his claws and licking his lips.  
_  
Guard: “I’m guessing it…involved Lord Gamatron?”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “That part is correct, next?”  
Guard: “Um…and you?”  
Shockwave: (Chuckling) “Two out of three, next?”  
Guard: (Blushing) “Uhhh…’adult play’?”  
Shockwave: (Smirking) “Wrong.”  
Guard: “Huh?”  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “Him in the shower, and me peeking through the door.”  
Guard: (Annoyed) “Hey! That’s not fair!!”  
Shockwave: (Chuckling) “Come now, stand aside and let me have a peek…you lost the bet.”  
 _  
The guard pouts and stands aside.  
  
_ Guard: (Annoyed) “Just a look, no talking.”  
  
 _Shockwave smirks and opens the door slightly, peeking inside, only for Gama to punch him in the face.  
  
_ Gama: (VO/Shouting) “KEEP OUT YOU PERVERT!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!”  
  
 _Shockwave rubs his face as Gama slams the door shut, with the guard laughing at Shockwave.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Whimpering) “My dear master must be chemical today…”  
Guard: (Laughing) “Oh sweet Primus that was hilarious; the look of fury on his face! The look on yours as you saw the fist flying towards you! Hahahaha!!!”  
 _  
Shockwave mutters to himself and brushes himself off, turning to leave the area and the laughing guard behind.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “If he really is chemical today, then it’d be best if I gave him a wide berth.” _  
  
He heads down the corridors, still rubbing his sore face from the hit, and stops to look out of one of the ships windows and into space.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “I remember having to give that little Seeker, Crasher, a wide berth most of the time I looked after him…not just because of that attitude of his but also because he, quite frankly, smelt so bad it made me want to vomit.” _  
  
(FLASHBACK)  
  
Scene fades in on Cybertron under Galvatrons rule, and zooms in on Shockwave entering a security key onto a control panel that opened the door to a room.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “He was kept in a small room in the Breeders Facility; a quiet place with padded walls and flooring to make sure he didn’t hurt himself, or for any of his foul language to be heard outside of the room.”  
  
 _Inside, a very young Crasher is seen ripping things up and kicking things around in a rage, whilst Shockwave stands in the doorway watching.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “I have no idea what Starscream did to that boy, but he was swearing so badly at such a young age. Every time he uttered a foul word to me I had to give him lashings, but no matter what punishments I gave him for his bad behaviour he STILL continued.”  
  
 _The young Crasher sees Shockwave and rushes at his legs, punching and kicking at the adult Decepticon to get out the room._  
  
Young Crasher: (Screaming) “Let me OUT! OUUUUUT! This place is a shithole!! I want my ma!!”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “Am I going to have to bring out the cane again, Crasher?”  
Young Crasher: (Shouting) “Up yours, mister Shockwave! You work for that big dick, Galvatron! You’re my enemy!”  
  
 _Young Crasher attacks harder, until being easily hauled up by Shockwave and spanked.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “If you keep up this behaviour, I might stop using the cane and my hands and will bring out the WHIP.”  
  
 _Shockwave sets Crasher back down, watching as the youngster sniffled and rubbed his behind; Crasher looked up at Shockwave, trying to earn sympathy.  
  
_ Shockwave: “D-don’t give me that look; you’ve been a naughty boy and need to be punished.”  
  
 _Crasher flashes an apologetic look to Shockwave, and whimpers alongside his sniffling. Shockwave groans and leans down, patting Crasher on the head.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “No more foul language; now clean up this mess and you can go and see your mother.”  
  
 _Crasher sniffles again and turns around to reluctantly begin cleaning up the mess he made, with the scene fading out back to modern-day of Shockwave looking out into space.  
  
(END FLASHBACK)  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “…a stubborn brat, but like any child he just needed a strong father figure…which I could never be for a Seeker Sparkling. All I did was contain his anger and bad attitude, which may be the reason why he’s been the way he has to others in adulthood; I blame my poor substitute-parenting for how that poor boy turned out, that and the terrible morals Starscream crammed into his head at such a young age.”  
  
 _Shockwave turns away from the window and walks down the corridor again to his quarters, thinking to himself quietly as he walked. Once he reached his room, he opened the door to find Megatron stood looking out of the window inside.  
  
_ Megatron: (Stern) “…Shockwave, we have a slight problem.”  
  
 _Shockwave raises his brow in confusion and stands beside Megatron; looking out the window._  
 _  
_Megatron: “The route Gama chose to Earth was recently heavily reinforced by the Rebel’s forces; they’re helping the Autobots crack-down on the Black Market Smugglers, which means we need to take a side-route which may make our journey longer.”  
Shockwave: (Blinking) “I…see, sir. But this problem seems minor.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “It would be minor, if it didn’t mean we’d be adding another month onto our journey.”  
Shockwave: “I’m not sure I quite follow you, sir.”  
Megatron: (Angry) “Gama would have one month to remove the Autobots and the Rebels from Earth AND build a safe nesting spot for his eggs. Laying them whilst the Autobots and Rebels still hold the planet is too great a risk, and he knows it.”  
  
 _Megatron turns to look at Shockwave.  
  
_ Megatron: “We have to abandon Earth conquest for now; he needs to find somewhere to nest and raise his young in safety.”  
  
 _Shockwave looks down to Megatron.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Curious) “And where do you suggest we go?”  
Megatron: “He can use his room; we’ll just need to modify it to accommodate a nest.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “But then you’ll be too close to the nest; you know the risks of infanticide.”  
  
 _Megatron squints before looking away, growling.  
  
_ Megatron: (Growling) “Curse that primitive strand of programming!”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Earth’s moon might work, if the old Decepticon Base there has been untouched.”  
Megatron: “It’s too close to the danger, Shockwave. The Autobots control the Space Bridge now, and have set up Bridge gateways all across the Earth’s Solar System including the Earth Moon. Even if the base there has been untouched, and the underground chambers still function, it is too dangerous.”  
Shockwave: (Sighing) “Understood, sir.”  
Megatron: (Muttering) “If things become dire, I will return to Cybertron on a small Escape Pod; allowing Gama to live on the ship with his nest of youngsters without fear of infanticide. But that will only happen if we cannot find a decent planet for him to brood on within this month.”  
  
 _Shockwave raises his brow again in confusion._  
  
Shockwave: (Curious) “If you don’t want him near Earth, then why are we still heading there?”  
Megatron: “He wants us to go there badly, and he checks the navigation systems every day to see where we are and where we are heading. I dare not argue with him right now, not in his current condition, so for now we are still heading to Earth…just on a longer, alternative, route.”

 _There is a chime sound, followed by someone talking over an intercom.  
  
_ Intercom: (VO) “Shockwave to Lab Twelve; you’re needed in Surgery Bay Six.”  
  
 _The intercom turns off and Shockwave sighs.  
  
_ Megatron: (Smirking) “Chief of Science…it makes me laugh so much.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “At least I have a definitive job, Megatron. What’s yours?”  
Megatron: (Stern) “Temporary Leader, in command whilst Gama undergoes pregnancy; so show some respect and hold your vocal processors.”  
  
 _Shockwave mutters to himself as he leaves his room, and Megatron, to go to where he was requested.  
  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Shockwave was Gama's 'substitute father' for a while, then got assigned Guard Duty.


	11. Ignorance

_A month had passed, and locating a suitable planet for Gama to nest and brood his young was not going well. Megatron was indeed contemplating heading back to Cybertron to allow Gama to nest on the ship, but Gama himself was determined to conquer Earth and remove the Autobots (and Rebels) before he needed to deliver his eggs._  
 _The Decepticon ship had stationed itself on the Earth’s Moon, close by to where the old Decepticon Moon base was located; a quick scan of the facility showed it was still working, and untouched by Autobot or Titron alike, but Gama was still determined to nest and conquer Earth within the month.  
His troops rallied up at the base, training and preparing for an assault, for two weeks they trained and prepared uninterrupted; Gama was strolling around on the moon’s surface, practicing building nests and scouting it for anything interesting.  
Nobody noticed the moon-rovers crossing across the surface, since they were so small and many were accidently stepped on or destroyed by Gama’s digging, regardless of this fact the Decepticons felt perfectly comfortable where they were…even though they had been seen on camera by humans and maybe even Autobots. It took a scouting by Shockwave and Megatron to eventually find a moon-rover, and to raise some concerns, but by now it was too late for Gama to move to another planet to nest. He was going to be either nesting on the Moon, on Earth or on the ship whether he liked it or not.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Concerned) “…why was this place left in-tact when all the other bases were destroyed? It’s not like this one is hidden any better or anything.”  
Megatron: “That and the humans spy devices have clearly seen us, yet no form of Autobot or Rebel has shown itself to disturb us.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Your worrying is meaningless. You worry too much; stop worrying. Your worrying is making me worried.”  
Cyclonus: “I scouted the line of space around the moon and saw nothing of danger to us, even the Space Bridge gate up here is turned off.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “See? They don’t care. They’ll ignore us, so you shouldn’t care. Stop caring about something nobody cares about.”  
Megatron: (Growling) “Your chemical attitude is starting to get VERY bothersome, Gama. Be quiet if you’ve got nothing of concern to mention.”  
Gama: “Alright; the Space Bridge doesn’t work, so how are we supposed to swarm the Planet if that thing is turned off? It needs to be turned on, and then we can surprise the Autobots.”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “I could turn it on, no problem. It was my old profession.”  
Megatron: (Angry) “You’ll do no such thing! Don’t you SEE?! It’s a trap!”  
Cyclonus: “It’s odd for the Autobots to remain this distant when they clearly know we’re here, and that they turned off the Space Bridge Gate on the moon is also rather strange…but a trap? I don’t see how it could be one.”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “Same here, Cyclonus. I say we turn on the Space Bridge and take the Autobots by surprise like Gama suggested.”  
Gama: “Good. Do it now, right now, I’m twitchy and want to break a few necks…”  
  
 _Shockwave prepares to depart for the Space Bridge gate with Gama and Cyclonus._  
  
Megatron: (Shouting) “You’ll do no such thing, Shockwave! If you turn it on, they’ll swarm US and then we’ll all become prisoners!”  
Gama: (Yelling) “Relax old man! Go take a chill-pill or something!”  
  
 _Megatron growls as the trio continue to the gate, deciding to remain behind to alert the troops in case of his fears of an ambush becoming true._  
 _At the gate, Cyclonus stands guard by Gama as Shockwave begins rewiring the Space Bridge to work again; having to reboot the entire system on the moon as for some reason it had been sealed shut by the Earth-bound control terminal.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Working) “Okay…just move this wire over here…modify the power output there…and…”  
  
 _Shockwave gets up from working at the wiring, and begins using the terminal for the gate. He presses a few buttons, turns a dial and flips a couple of switches and levers, before the Space Bridge gate activated and opened up.  
Gama rubs his hands together deviously and approaches the gate, with Shockwave stepping in front of him.  
  
_ Shockwave: “I think…I should go first, Gama…just to make sure it’s safe.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “It’ll be fine, Shocky.”  
Cyclonus: (Nodding) “I’m as concerned as Shockwave is, sire. Allow me to go first, just to be on the safe-side.”  
Shockwave: “We don’t want you or your offspring to get hurt, Gama. Please, let Cyclonus go first.”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself and folds his arms, nodding reluctantly.  
Cyclonus was quick to jump through the gateway and to the destination it had locked-on to, but he didn’t come back. After a few minutes, Shockwave became nervous and was eyeing the gate terminal.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Curious) “…why were the coordinates locked? And…why was the destination reader totally broken? It’s as if…someone didn’t want us to see where we were going.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Cyclonus is taking his sweet time. I’m starting to get twitchy again.”  
 _  
Shockwave approaches the terminal and tries desperately to un-lock the coordinates, but it keeps displaying failure messages to him. Gama moves to the terminal also and looks at the broken display panel.  
  
_ Gama: (Concerned) “…this was intentionally broken…”  
Shockwave: “Exactly, Gama. Someone has locked the destination to somewhere and doesn’t want us to see where it takes us, which is likely an ambush like Megatron said. It’s the only reason I can think of as to why Cyclonus hasn’t come back.”  
Voice: (VO) “Ah, I should have figured it would be you to reactivate this gate, Shockwave.”  
  
 _Shockwave and Gama turn around quickly to face the gate, finding Thundercracker and several Titron soldiers exiting the gate.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “You.”  
Thundercracker: “Hmmm…put on some weight again have you, Gama? You need to learn to keep those legs of yours closed.”  
  
 _Shockwave roars and charges forwards, but Gama holds him back.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “No…he’s trying to bait us into a fight.”  
Shockwave: (Angry) “He has no right to speak to you that way! I’ll tear off his head!”  
Gama: (Quietly) “Relax…”  
Thundercracker: (Curious) “Awfully emotional, Shockwave. That isn’t like you one bit.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Where’s Cyclonus?”  
Thundercracker: “Under arrest, in Autobot custody…again…”  
Shockwave: (Shocked) “S-so the coordinates…?!”  
Thundercracker: “Are locked onto the Autobot Headquarters; he waltzed right in, which told us you guys were ready for an assault. So now, we’re going to swarm your base and bring everyone under arrest.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “Y-you--!”  
Thundercracker: (Chuckling) “Easy there, Gama; don’t want to lay those eggs on the moon do you? It’s dusty and would make your eggs dirty…”  
  
 _Shockwave roars again and charges forwards, attacking Thundercracker, only to be hit by the blunt-side of a weapon and sent stumbling back over to Gama.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Calling) “Remember what he said; all of them are to be taken ALIVE. Now GO!”  
  
 _The Titron soldiers launch towards where the base was hidden, with some remaining behind to target Gama and Shockwave with Thundercracker. Shockwave stands in front of Gama, protecting him, and refuses to let one of the soldiers get anywhere near his mate by swiping his large and highly dangerous claws at them when they got too close.  
Thundercracker manages to hit Shockwave with a shot from his gun, weakening him as the radiation began to make his limbs fail to move correctly (created by the reverse-engineered coil from Gama’s generator). As Shockwave became weaker, the soldiers found it easier to begin restraining him; but his ambition to keep Gama safe meant that his arms were still working, and he continued to fight off the soldiers who tried to get anywhere near Gama.   
 _  
Shockwave: (Struggling) “G-Gama…the gate---use the gate!”  
Thundercracker: (Laughing) “And do what; teleport right into the middle of the Autobot base? He’s not stupid, Shockwave.”  
  
 _The soldiers pin Shockwave onto the floor and apply restraints to his arms, preventing him from slashing at them anymore.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Weakly) “R-run…quickly…”  
  
 _The soldiers turn their attention to Gama as Shockwave passed out from the sedation; Thundercracker moved forwards, to circle around Gama to draw his attention away from the soldiers, but Gama refused to move.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “I know better than to use the radiation sedation on you, in your condition. You would be unaffected by the shot, but your eggs would fry and become hard-boiled snacks for a Predacon; and I do not intend to do such a brutal thing to the unborn.”  
 _  
Thundercracker tries to force Gama to turn around to face him. He trails behind Gama and out of his line of vision, which would allow the soldiers to swarm Gama from behind, but the Decepticon remains where he stands; keeping his gaze locked on the soldiers. Thundercracker is still speaking to Gama, but Gama is ignoring him.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Thundercrackers only weapon is that radiation gun and some Null Rays, and he made it clear that he doesn’t want to bring harm onto the unborn…so the only threat here are these soldiers; they have the binders, they have the nets…don’t let them out of your sights.”  
Thundercracker: “Are you even listening to me, Gama?”  
Gama: (Coldly) “No.”  
Thundercracker: “I see…soldiers; head to their base and assist in capturing the others, leave Shockwave here with me.”  
  
 _The soldiers salute and rush off to the base, with Gama still keeping them in his sights until they had gone. Once they had departed, Gama locked his sights on Thundercracker; who had returned to stand beside Shockwave before leaning down and cutting the restraints from Shockwaves body.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “If anybody asks, you jumped me and escaped…understand?”  
  
 _Gama blinks in disbelief as Thundercracker turns to the gates terminal, and unlocks the coordinates before inputting new ones.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “I understand you don’t trust me, you don’t know what’s going on, and you’ll probably suspect where this gate will take you now…but please; take Shockwave and go through the gate.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “Why.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Because the last thing I want to see is you, a pregnant Decepticon, locked up in a small cell surrounded by noise and unable to nurture your young in peace.”  
Gama: (Growling) “You shouldn’t care.”  
Thundercracker: “…Gama; I’m a naturalist and pacifist. It doesn’t matter what species you are, what age you are or even what you have done…I don’t want to see any pregnant individual, or new-mother, behind bars with her children.”  
  
 _Thundercracker leans down again and picks up Shockwaves arms, forcing them into Gama’s hands.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Now go; take Shockwave so he can protect you. If you get caught down there I can’t do anything to help you.”  
  
 _Gama looks to Shockwave and sighs, before nodding to Thundercracker lightly and slowly dragging Shockwave to the gate. They pass through the gate, and arrive on Earth in the middle of a woodland; Gama turns around to look back at the gate they just came out of only to find it had vanished, before looking down to Shockwave and steadily dragging him over to a boulder he could lean against.  
Gama pants as the strain of pregnancy, and dragging Shockwave about, wore him out and he took a moment to rest. But not long into his resting and he suddenly craved something; water.  
He scouts his vision around, looking for any signs of water to hydrate his systems with, only to find a very small pond; he quickly drinks some of it to cool his systems down, as they began to overheat from all the straining, before returning back to his slumbering partner.  
Gama snuggles up alongside Shockwave and wraps one of the large Decepticons arms around him making him feel that bit more protected, before going to sleep himself.  
Hours later, and Gama awakened to the sounds of someone ripping up or knocking over trees and his beloved nowhere in sight; he scouts his vision around him, looking for where the sounds were coming from in a panic, until locking onto a shadowed figure approaching the boulder he had slept against.  
Gama panics and rushes behind the boulder before he could tell who was coming, peeking around from behind it to see who had arrived; Shockwave had come back with logs tucked under one arm and large tops from trees over his other shoulder.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Calling) “Gama? Where are you?”  
  
 _Gama meekly pokes out from behind the boulder so Shockwave could actually see him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “Primus…you’re safe. I was worried.”  
Gama: “Where did you go?”  
  
 _Shockwave tosses down the logs and tree branches, and begins patting his feet gently around in the grass as if testing it.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Distracted) “I left to gather up some wood for a small shelter and fire, and some bushes and branches to pad out the bottom of your nest with….hmmm…this soil is too rough.”  
  
 _Gama tilts his head as Shockwave moves over to another patch of ground and begins testing it with his feet.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “…so we’re having them here?”  
Shockwave: “Yes.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “…whilst the Autobots are still around?”  
Shockwave: (Sighing) “Yes.”  
Gama: “S-Shockwave…I…they patrol the planet…they’ll find it…”  
Shockwave: (Distracted) “You just need to dig a pit deep enough so you can bury the eggs, that way only we will be able to tell where the nest is…no, this soil is too rough too.”  
Gama: (Meekly) “B-but… Shockwave…”  
Shockwave: (Muttering) “The best soil is too close to water…”  
Gama: (Whimpering) “Shockwave…I…I’m scared…” _  
__  
Shockwave stops what he is doing and turns to face Gama, who trembles whilst looking at nothing in particular. Shockwave approaches Gama and embraces him gently in a hug.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Whispering) “Everything will be alright…we still have two weeks to prepare, which is plenty of time for you to build a nest and for me to make a shelter.” _  
  
Gama sniffles and clings to Shockwave, who tries to carefully encourage Gama to let him go and return to his duties; Gama eventually lets him go, and Shockwave to once again begin testing the ground for decent nesting soil.  
As Shockwave moved around the small clearing in the forest Gama followed close behind, fidgeting with his fingers and eyeing his tummy; once Shockwave finally feels comfortable with a patch of soil he begins using his huge claws on both hands and feet to dig a large pit, which he eyed Gama to try and lie across. Gama is quick to lie over the pit with his belly safely nestled inside the dugout area, nodding to Shockwave that he felt the pit was deep enough.  
Once he got the approval from Gama; Shockwave returned to gather the wood and branches and returned to his mate, placing the leaves and small twigs inside the pit and the much larger branches on the outside. Shockwave was quick to begin building a shelter above the nest to keep Gama dry as he brooded, which caught the pregnant Decepticons attention.  
  
_ Gama: (Meekly) “…wouldn’t this tell them the nest is here?”  
Shockwave: “No Gama, I’m making several of these shelters for us to use; it’s a form of tactics to rid them of the idea that only the nest will have shelter…so you will just use this one the most often out of all of them, since it IS where the nest will be.”  
Gama: (Yawning) “Alright, alright…”  
 _  
Gama stretches and snuggles up in the empty nest, allowing Shockwave to build the shelters in peace and quiet.  
A few days pass, with Gama and Shockwave practicing the routines they’d take up in the brooding process; a few hours each day Gama would lie on the nest as if brooding his eggs, and then later Shockwave would sit by the pit as if guarding the nest…Shockwave would bring Gama minerals and Energon whenever he was brooding, and Gama would make regular return trips to make sure the nest was clean and tidy.  
And two weeks of practice was paying off, as they both got into the routine and solidified it within their minds; neither was late for the transfer by even a minute, and Shockwave always brought the exact amount of Energon and minerals Gama would need every single day. But today, the expected date of labour was to be disrupted.   
Gama and Shockwave sleep together under a shelter, quietly and peacefully, when suddenly Shockwave rears his head up; fully alerted by hearing something. He trails his vision across the forest in front of him before turning around to look behind, but he saw nothing.  
The sounds of movement, mainly small creatures moving around in the bushes, were starting to make him feel nervous.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “Gama…psst…Gama…wake up…”  
  
 _Gama groans as Shockwave lightly nudges him, waking him up.  
  
_ Gama: (Yawning) “Huh? What time is it?”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “Shhh! I hear things moving, stalking us in the bushes, but I can’t see anything. I suspect we have nosey humans lurking about.”  
Gama: (Groaning) “Go and crush them then, they’re just pests.”  
  
 _Gama throws himself back down and into sleep again, leaving Shockwave to climb out of the shelter slowly and into the open. He shifts about, tracking the movement of the sounds, before finally locating where they had been coming from and locking his sights onto the location. He flexes his claws, readying to attack, when he faintly heard the small snap of a branch come from another point in the woods.  
Shockwave freezes, his eye widened in shock as everything went deathly quiet again; his spark thumping in his chest in a panic, a nervous sweat forming on his brow and a deep (and almost gasping) breathing. As he remains totally still and silent, so does his hidden foe.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “T-this is bad…Gama is totally unprotected…and…if I move…they’ll spring out to attack us both for certain…I can’t allow a back-attack to happen against me, so I need to just keep quiet until I figure out exactly where my target really is.”  
 _  
Shockwave tries to relax his breathing and Spark-beating, but he just becomes more nervous and tries to search for his target using sight rather than sound or (most important of all) smell.  
As Shockwave was about to move back to Gama, desperate to shield him from any harm, the pregnant Decepticon released an almighty roar of pain and began crawling out of the shelter and into the open. Shockwave turns around fully, his eye wide and filled with fear as Gama stood upright growling and crying in pain; Shockwave focused mainly on how he was clutching his belly area, before lowering his gaze to between Gama’s legs to see he had begun labour.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “Primus no, not now…please…”  
Gama: (In Pain) “…w-we need…t-to move…I smell him…he’ll kill them if I have them here…”  
Shockwave: (Curious) “Smell him?”  
  
 _Shockwave returns to duty-panic mode as he hears another sound, but this time it was the ‘click’ of a loading weapon, before sniffing; he starts smelling out his targets one by one, determining their breed and then even being able to identify any ex-Decepticons.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “…three Autobots, lead by…hmm…Rodimus …*sniff*…ugh no wait, that’s …Ultra Magnus *sniff* and…*sniff*…hmmm…*sniff*…!! NO!”  
 _  
Shockwave flexes his claws and assumes a defensive position in front of Gama right away. Ultra Magnus and his three Autobots rush out of the woods, throwing nets and binding tools at Shockwave, who easily casts them off and maintains his block in front of Gama. That was when the second group leader leapt from his position; Crasher. He was armed with a new type of weapon, similar in design to the new guns the Titrons and Autobots were using, only it seemed to have more power to it.  
Shockwave pushes Gama back and into the woods.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Shouting) “RUN!”  
  
 _Gama rushes back, knowing the only way for his young to be safe was to allow Shockwave to give himself over as a distraction. He rushes through the forest, hearing the struggle taking place behind him, until reaching a clearing of desert in front of him; pausing to catch his breath and to decide where to go next, understanding he’d be easy to see and reach out in the open desert.  
  
_ Gama: (Panting) “Can’t go out there…they’ll find me and kill them…”  
  
 _Gama looks to his left and sees a large river, but being too close to water was dangerous to the nest, so he looks to his right and sees a large Mesa.  
  
_ Gama: (Panting) “Only…Seekers…and Decepticons…can get up there easily…it’s better than here!”  
  
 _Gama rushes towards the Mesa and begins climbing, reaching the top and squatting in pain as his contractions began to intensify._

Gama: (Groaning) “S-shit…t-the…the pain…”  
  
 _Gama pants and clenches his belly, staring vacantly at the ground beneath him, before using his feet to begin digging.  
As he felt the contractions intensify, Gama throws himself onto the ground and digs with his hands and spiked knuckles until the pit was large enough to lie inside; he stands in the middle of the pit, holding his belly in agony, before squatting down and roaring from the pain.  
That was when the first egg forced its way out of the port tunnel and through into the tailpipe tunnel, slowly working its way down to the struggling tailpipe entrance, stopping at the exit as it was unable to drop out. Gama pants and tries to push his egg free from his tailpipe to no avail, and felt further pain as more eggs began to push against the already trapped one as if trying to help force it out.  
Gama whimpers as the first egg was steadily pushed out of his tailpipe, along with the tracking device; hearing it gently land in the mound of sand and dirt below him, before crying in pain as the rest followed suit and began pouring out of the now wider tailpipe exit. His belly spasms from every egg he laid in the pit, attempting to assist in pushing out the eggs as quickly and smoothly as possible._  
 _The eggs carefully settled in the dirt, with Gama finally pushing out the remains of his Jellergon mass (the Placenta) onto the eggs, bathing them in the leftover Energon they’d used to grow inside their mother. Each egg quickly coated itself with the Jellergon before hardening, locking the youngsters within a second protective eggshell whilst their mother panted to regain composure.  
Gama climbs out of the pit and looks down at the eggs, kneeling beside the hole in the ground to look inside, before pushing mounds of sand and dirt over the pit to hide the eggs.  
  
_ Gama: (Panting) “Okay…now…what…?”  
  
 _Gama trembles from how weak he felt, slowly crawling over his buried nest to lie on top of it. He closes his eye and sighs, adjusting himself to get comfortable.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “…why’d I bury them…if I can just lie on top of them…”  
  
 _He yawns and snuggles against the hidden nest, snoozing quietly, when after a few minutes he awakened in shock to hear approaching vehicles.  
Gama jumps to his feet and scouts his surroundings, before catching sight of approaching Autobots at the bottom of the cliff.  
  
_ Autobot: (VO) “Up there!! Shoot him!!”  
  
 _Gama squints and throws himself backwards to avoid the gunfire, falling onto his back and onto his nest. He hears a cracking sound and whines, knowing all too well he’d just crushed some of his own offspring, and remains perfectly still as he hears the Autobots making their way up the cliffs edge.  
Once the first Autobot made it to the top, Gama was nowhere to be seen, and the nest was totally invisible to the Autobots sights.  
  
_ Autobot: (Cautiously) “Gama…come out…we know you’re here.”  
  
 _The scout waves his comrades up before cocking his shotgun and carefully wandering around the area; Gama had hidden himself behind a large boulder, and was watching where the Autobots were walking as he knew exactly where his nest was buried.  
  
_ Autobot: (Cautiously) “Come out, come out, wherever you are…”  
  
 _The Autobot scout lands one of his feet just inches away from Gama’s nest; causing the mother to flinch as he fought instinctive programming to throw himself out of his hiding spot to lie on top of it. But as the Autobots feet got closer and closer, he was growing more nervous. So nervous that he threw himself up to surrender, but accidently slipped and smacked his head against the boulder he was hiding behind thereby causing him to fall unconscious._  
  



	12. Deception

_Hours later and Gama awakens, the first thing he sees is a blurred mess of tall figures leaning over him and no sky which told him he had been moved indoors; he groans and tries to move, entering a panic once he realised his arms and legs had been bound down.  
  
_ Voice: “Oh good, he’s awake…not.”  
  
 _Gama shakes his head and tries to focus better on the figures above him, with the images slowly clearing up.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “That knock to the head must have been really powerful to knock him out cold for this long. It’s a relief it didn’t kill him.”  
Ratchet: (Pointing) “A relief? I’d have been happy studying him as a corpse rather than alive.”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “Hey you know Perceptor needs him alive! He’s more useful alive than dead in this case of his!”  
 _  
Ratchet folds his arms and glares at Acidstorm, with a third Cybertronian joining the conversation, but Gama cannot see who it is.  
  
_ Voice: (VO) “Has he said anything yet?”  
Acidstorm: (Shrugging) “Not a peep; he’s just looking at us.”  
Ratchet: (Annoyed) “A rather pathetic look, too…like a helpless animal caught in the headlights.”  
Voice: (VO) “Hmm…let me take a look.” _  
  
Gama shivers as he slowly remembered who the voice belonged to, and as soon as he caught sight of who had been speaking he flat-browed.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Stern) “No, that look is the usual one he’d give.”  
Acidstorm: “Well he was giving us it a moment ago, almost as if he didn’t recognise us.”  
Ratchet: (Curious) “Amnesia?”  
Rodimus: (Shaking head) “Can’t be; he’d have given me the same look if it was amnesia, but he changed his expression to one he always use to give me.”  
Acidstorm: “Partial amnesia is still a possibility.”  
  
 _Gama thinks quietly to himself, ignoring the discussion that continues to take place about the subject of amnesia.  
  
_ Gama: (in Thought) “If I feign amnesia here, I could be allowed to walk out freely after a few days…then I can return to the nest and brood it before anything can happen to it.”  
  
 _He looks towards the three Cybertronians towering above him, trying to think of how to tell them about the ‘amnesia’ without giving himself away.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Let’s see…’who are you? Why am I tied to this thing?’…no, that’s too obvious. ’What the hell is going on here?’…nah, anyone could say that…”  
Rodimus: (Coughing) “Ahem!!”  
  
 _Gama turns to look at Rodimus.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Slowly) “H-e-l-l-o. Do you remember your name?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Don’t talk to me like that, what am I; a child?”  
Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “At least he still has his charm.”  
Ratchet: (Annoyed) “He’d be better without it.”  
Rodimus: “Uh, yeah…do you remember your name?”  
Gama: (Snorting) “Of course; it’s Gama.”  
Acidstorm: “And your family?”  
Gama: (Coldly) “What about it?”  
Rodimus: (Stern) “Do you remember your family? Who they are?”  
Gama: “Of course I do. I don’t know where they are though.”  
Ratchet: (Pointing) “See? Not amnesia.”  
Acidstorm: “Do you know where you are?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “No.”  
Rodimus: (Pointing) “And do you know any of us?”  
Gama: (Hesitating) “…not all of you. I…recognise your faces but…names escape me…”  
Rodimus: “And…about the Decepticons?”  
Gama: (Delayed) “…the what?”  
  
 _The trio begin speaking to each other in whispers, with Gama unable to hear any of them.  
Acidstorm then moves to Gama’s arms and legs and begins unbinding him, allowing him to sit upright.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Nodding) “You don’t remember the Decepticons, so you’re no threat right now.”  
Acidstorm: “So Gama, you’re free to go and do as you please.” _  
_  
 _Gama rubs his wrists and blinks.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Something doesn’t seem right here…they just let me go because of that? It’s not logical…they didn’t even run a lie-detector test.”  
Acidstorm: (Nodding) “…it means you don’t have to stay here…you can go anywhere you want.”  
  
 _Gama remains seated, still blinking, until being nudged off the table by Ratchet, causing him to bolt his attention to him.  
  
_ Ratchet: (Annoyed) “Get him out of here…he’s making my surgery feel…filthy.”  
  
 _Gama snorts and turns back to facing forwards, sticking his nose up snobbishly, before marching out of the room with Acidstorm following close behind until Gama had left the medical bay. Once Gama felt he wasn’t being watched anymore, he turned from the snobbish posture into a more frail and reluctant one; fidgeting with his fingers and looking around him nervously.  
_  
Gama: (In Thought) “…I saw it in Acidstorms optics…he knows I was lying…but he said nothing.”  
  
 _Gama refuses to make eye-contact with anyone as he moved through the Autobot base, having become entirely lost.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “The base has changed…I have no idea where I am or where I am going…works for the amnesia thing, but I’m starting to feel nervous; I want to get back to my nest but don’t know how to get out of here…”  
  
 _Gama continues his nervous trek through the base, reaching an area with many cells and glass cages both empty and full. He is more focused on escaping than what was inside the cells, but because he was trying to find a way out so much he wasn’t paying attention to who was around him. He bumps into someone on his way around the area; Thundercracker.  
Gama immediately starts trembling, with his fear becoming more obvious as Thundercracker turned around to face him.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Oh shit…this can’t be good…”  
Thundercracker: (Confused) “Gama? What are you doing out here?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “W-who a-a-are y-you?!”  
Thundercracker: “You shouldn’t be out here; you should be in your cell and…wait…what?”  
  
 _Gama swallows as Thundercracker leans closer to him.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Did you just ask who I was?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “Y-y-yes…”  
  
 _Thundercracker mutters to himself and moves away, rubbing his face tiredly.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Sighing) “Amnesia…I see.”  
  
 _Gama swallows again, still trembling as Thundercracker turns to him again.  
_  
Thundercracker: “Alright, you need to get outside before you break something…I’ll lead you out.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “T-thank you…s-sir…”  
Thundercracker: “Don’t come near this spot ever again, understand? This is a restricted area.”  
  
 _Gama nods quietly, now choosing to look at what was in the cells; inside each one was a Decepticon, with the most dangerous/highest ranking ones in bulletproof glassed cages and the others in standard Energon Bar cells. Gama scouts through the cells as he follows Thundercracker, looking out for his father and Shockwave, but he doesn’t see either of them.  
Thundercracker turns to look behind him as he walks, carefully seeing what Gama was doing, before facing forwards again once he knew what he was doing.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Sarcasm) “If you want a safe place to stay, you can talk to Rodimus Prime. I’m sure he’ll give you a nice, clean cell.”  
  
 _Gama cringes.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “You seriously don’t want to be here Gama; it’s humiliating. You need to be outside and away from everyone else.”  
Gama: (Meekly) “I…I see.”  
Thundercracker: “Come back and visit Rodimus for jobs if you want to; anyone who works for the Autobots gets repair work done, Energon and Minerals, and protection. I wouldn’t stay though to sleep, I’d do that somewhere else.”  
  
 _Thundercracker finally leads Gama to the exit and turns around to face him before stretching his arm out, as if telling Gama to go on ahead without him.  
_  
Gama: (Meekly) “Where should I go?”  
Thundercracker: “You know where to go, Gama.”  
  
 _Thundercracker turns back to walk into the base, leaving Gama lurking outside the entrance in deep thought. A minute or so later, and Gama turns back around and runs in pursuit of Thundercracker._  
  
Gama: (Calling) “H-hey! Wait a minute! Can I talk to Rodimus now?”  
  
 _Thundercracker stops walking and turns around, allowing Gama to catch up to him.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Confused) “You actually want to speak to Rodimus Prime? Seriously?”  
Gama: (Nodding) “You bet your afterburners; I don’t know where I am or what’s going on, but he probably does.”  
  
 _Thundercracker glares coldly at Gama quickly, so quick that Gama doesn’t even notice it, before continuing to walk back into the base.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “No, I think you know where to go and what to do. And I suggest you go and do it now before someone…namely me…changes his mind over what to do with you.”  
  
 _Gama blinks and tilts his head, refusing to move. Thundercracker stops walking and turns around, growling.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Go and brood your nest, Gama.”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens in shock.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “I’m giving you until the count of ten to get out of here, before I bring you in for interrogations….one…two…”  
  
 _As Thundercracker continues counting, Gama panics; he quickly turns back to the exit and rushes outside, refusing to even look back at Thundercracker, who calmly watched him leave._  
 _It was a week later that Gama returned to the base, looking for a job to do for some minor repair work as he reward, and Rodimus (still believing the lie that Gama had amnesia) was happy to give him a few small jobs to earn the free repair work and cleaning. But no matter how hard Gama worked for the next three weeks, Rodimus was refusing to give Gama any minerals to replenish himself with. This meant Gama had to scavenge or sit around weakly doing his work.  
Four weeks, to a month, later Gama began to become trustworthy around the Autobots as he did all his jobs without complaint. The cold and suspecting looks they gave him stopped, but he was still not being openly greeted by anybot beside family members._  
 _He would return to his nest every evening to tend to it and sleep and tonight was no different to begin with…but after cleaning his last egg and deciding to lie next to the nest rather than on top of it (because it was very hot that night) Gama would be in for quite the shock.  
Gama purrs as he sleeps beside his nest in the darkness, unaware that someone else had been eyeing his eggs, hiding under cleverly disguised sheets that made them appear as rocks to the naked eye.  
Two human males emerge from their hiding spots and slowly sneak their way to the nest side, looking into the pit at all the eggs inside; the tallest male rubs his hands together and smirks, whilst the second male cautiously scoots his vision to the slumbering parent.  
  
_ Man: (Nervous) “Y-you sure this is worth it?”  
Tall Man: (Chuckling) “Look at them and tell me what you think…hehe…”  
  
 _The tall man climbs into the nest, approaching one of the eggs to touch it when suddenly he feels the hot breath of Gama snoozing beside him. He freezes and looks back to his assistant, who slowly approaches Gama and waves a hand in front of his face to see if he’d respond; but no response comes, and the instant he felt secure, the shorter man gives his ally the thumbs up.  
The tall man turns to the eggs again and rubs his hands together, chuckling sinisterly as his assistant climbed into the nest with him._  
  
Tall Man: (Smirking) “This is a goldmine, my friend…each golden egg laid by that magnificent goose.”  
Man: (Whispering) “How many should we take? They look pretty big.”  
Tall Man: (Slyly) “All of them; these babies are Leader Class eggs.”  
  
 _The assistant twitches and steps back from the eggs as the tall man begins slowly rolling them out of the nest and onto flat ground.  
  
_ Man: (Nervous) “L-Leader Class? B-but if that’s true…we’d be millionaires selling these.”  
Tall Man: (Smirking) “Exactly.”  
  
 _The shorter male climbs out of the nest and approaches the sleeping Gama; lightly clicking his fingers beside the sleeping giant, getting no response at all from him.  
  
_ Tall Man: (Chuckling) “Let’s see; Twenty three eggs…selling at four hundred thousand Credits each totals nine million, two hundred thousand Credits.”  
  
 _The smaller male touches Gama’s nose in awe, before gently stroking it as his ally began pushing the eggs into a new pile away from the original nest. His ally turns around and stumbles backwards in fear at the sight.  
  
_ Tall Man: (Whispering/Nervous) “W-what are you doing?! G-get away from him!!”  
Man: (Awed) “He’s got a large nose…bet he can smell things really well.”  
Tall Man: (Nervous) “T-that’s not the part you have to worry about!”  
  
 _The shorter man reaches up and looks at Gama’s tightly shut eye.  
_  
Man: (Awed) “Big eyes too…I bet he could spot us a mile away.”  
  
 _The taller man trembles in fear and begins pushing the eggs to their hiding spot, and upon his return his fear escalates as the smaller man had opened Gama’s mouth, and was looking at his teeth.  
  
_ Man: (Awed) “Wow…look at those teeth.”  
Tall Man: (Whimpering) “T-that’s the part you have to worry about…”  
  
 _Gama groans and closes his mouth, narrowly avoiding biting off the shorter man’s head, causing him to back away to his taller ally.  
  
_ Tall Man: (Whispering/Angry) “Those jaws can crush right through a fucking car in a single bite, what were you thinking?!”  
Man: (Whispering) “I…I don’t know anything about this breed…I was curious…”  
Tall Man: (Whispering/Angry) “You only open the mouth if you plan on taking a tooth; no matter how valuable they are though, doing that is suicide. Now help me push these eggs to the ship.”  
  
 _The two men begin slowly rolling the eggs to their ship, getting five inside their craft and securing them in place.  
  
_ Man: “They’re a lot bigger than Seeker or Combaticon eggs…they won’t all fit in here.”  
Tall Man: (Pondering) “Yeah, I noticed.”  
Man: “Well what do we do now?”  
  
 _The tall man groans and leaves the ship to stare at the remaining eighteen eggs, tapping a wrench in his hand as he thought.  
  
_ Tall Man: (Slyly) “…well, we can’t have any more of these on the market, otherwise ours won’t sell so high…so…”  
  
 _The tall man smirks and approaches the pile of eggs, raising the wrench to begin smashing them, when the smaller man blocks him.  
  
_ Man: (Angry) “N-no! You can’t do that!”  
Tall Man: (Growling) “Oh yeah? And why not?!”  
Man: (Nervous) “B-because they have a right to live…we just don’t tell anyone where we found the nest.”  
  
 _The tall man tosses the wrench aside and pats his ally on the shoulder.  
  
_ Tall Man: (Slyly) “Alright, we won’t smash them…or tell anyone where they are…or at least, you never will.”  
Man: (Nervous) “W-what?”  
Tall Man: (Shouting) “Tell the parents I said HELLO!”  
  
 _The taller man tries to attack the shorter man; they fight, causing some of the eighteen eggs to roll back towards the nest. One egg softly rolls onto Gama’s foot, and with the shouting going on in the fight Gama wakes up. He sees the empty nest and panics; his eye dilated in fear as he scouted his vision around him, grabbing any eggs he saw and placing them back into the nest.  
Gama counts the eggs he recovered, noticing five where missing, and hears the fighting taking place close by; a deep growl churns from his throat as he rushes to the source of the noise, to find the two men fighting. Gama roars boldly causing the men to stop and stare up at the giant in fear, with them so terrified of his presence that they barely moved; Gama breathes heavily down at the men, his eye refusing to even blink as he stared them down.  
  
_ Man: (Whispering) “W-what n-n-n-now??”  
  
 _Gama sniffs, with each sniff becoming more intense the closer he got to the two men. A snarl escapes Gama’s mouth, just a foot away from the men.  
  
_ Tall Man: (Terrified) “Every thief for himself!!!”  
  
 _The two men run in a panic, with Gama in hot pursuit. The short man reaches the ship first, and sits in the pilot’s seat whilst his taller ally enters. The short man operates the ship to begin liftoff just as Gama had reached them, grasping tightly onto the ships sides to stop it from departing even as the ships thrusters kicked into full throttle; the short man panics as his screen begins displaying system warnings, as Gama slowly began to crush the sides of the ship with his tightening grip.  
Filled with panic, the shorter man opens the rear hatch and leaves his seat to push out the eggs, when the taller man stops him.  
  
_ Tall Man: (Angry) “What are you doing?!”  
Man: (Terrified) “It’s the eggs he’s after, not us! If we give them back he’ll leave us alone!”  
Tall Man: (Angry) “No chance; a Leader Class tears anyone, who brings harm to its young, into pieces! If you give them back then he’ll crush the ship for certain! We just need to sit tight and hope he gets distracted!”  
Man: (Hissing) “Distraction?! Alight; YOU can be the distraction!”  
  
 _The shorter man kicks the taller man out of the ship, with him landing between Gama’s legs. The shorter man closes the hatch of the ship as his ally begins screaming at him to let him back inside, immediately catching Gama’s blood-thirsty glare. The tall man cowers as Gama carelessly let go of the ship, fixating his full attention on the human, thereby accidently allowing the ship to escape with five of his eggs. Once Gama realised the ship had escaped with his offspring, he returned his gaze to the human who was left behind; his crest erecting into Threat display, forcing his helmet from his head, bearing his teeth into the most brutal of snarls.  
The man panics, and gets back onto his feet to run, when Gama strikes him from the floor forcing him to stumble back onto the ground face-first this time; and as he attempts to stand up again, he cries in agony when Gama plants a heavy foot down onto his fragile legs causing him to remain where he is. Gama snorts as he raises his foot, watching coldly as the human tries to crawl from him to hide somewhere.  
Once the man had crawled a certain distance, still filled with panic at why Gama had not killed him yet, his fears escalate as he felt the Earth below him shaking and heard the giant Cybertronian storming back towards him; he crawls with desperation, trying to get behind something or under cover before Gama could reach him, but his efforts were in vain.  
Gama grasps the frail life-form and hauls it up; panting in rage, snarling once the human dared make eye-contact with him._  
  
Gama: (Snarling) “Where are they?!”  
  
 _The man cowers as Gama bears his teeth, forcefully snapping them dangerously close to the human.  
  
_ Gama: (Rasping) “Where ARE they?!!”  
  
 _The man whimpers and begins struggling, clawing at Gama’s hand to try and get free, thereby causing Gama to slowly intensify his grip.  
  
_ Tall Man: (In Agony) “T-they’re long gone now!! B-Black Market trade!! Sector---SECTOR SIX!!! P-please!! Let me go!”  
  
 _Gama roars at the man so loud his ears begin to ring.  
  
_ Gama: (Rasping) “Coordinates; NOW.”  
  
 _The man whimpers in Gama’s grip, panicking only when Gama edged him that bit closer to his mouth.  
  
_ Tall Man: (Frantic) “A-Alpha Quadrant; S-Sector Six, X two seven, seventeen Y nine one, three two! P-please, let me go!!”  
  
 _Gama closes his mouth and hisses, spraying the man with his hot breath and saliva through his tightly closed teeth.  
  
_ Tall Man: (Frantic) “P-please!! I beg of you!”  
  
 _Gama snorts and opens his mouth, causing the man to scream in a panic as he was edged closer and closer to the jaws of death.  
  
_ Voice: (VO) “Put him down, Gama.” _  
  
Gama snarls and turns to where the voice came from, to see Acidstorm and Thundercracker.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Stern) “Nice and gently, put him down.”  
  
 _The man whimpers as Gama slowly bends down to put him on the floor, still feeling the metallic beasts’ hot breath. Once he was on the ground and no longer in Gama’s hand, he begins crying his thanks to the two Seekers, who easily ignore him.  
Gama stares cautiously at the Seekers, wondering how they found him, and more so; if they had found his nest.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “We’ve got those coordinates so now we can go shut that place down; nice work Gama.”  
  
 _Gama snorts and fixates his glare on Thundercracker; eyeing his physique for evidence of his eggs being handled by him, but the Seeker was totally clean to his eye.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “The nest is safe; they only got five.”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens in a panic.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “We didn’t touch any of them either; we can’t interfere with it for the research.”  
 _  
Gama still looks in a panic at the Seekers, panting heavily as fear began to overwhelm him.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Muttering) “He’s not even going to question what the research is, he’s that afraid.”  
Acidstorm: (Muttering) “Who can blame him; you took his last batch of eggs.”  
Thundercracker: “Gama, aren’t you the least bit curious as to how we found your nest?”  
  
 _Gama steps back slightly, looking over his shoulders as if expecting an ambush.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Nobody else knows it’s here; just me, Acidstorm and Perceptor. Nobody else will ever know it’s here until you and your offspring have moved on.”  
  
 _Gama lowers his sense of panic before circling around the two Seekers, keeping them in his sight, until he got a clear view of his nest and saw only Perceptor nearby it; he was writing on a clipboard at a safe distance from the nest.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “Gama, over here.”  
  
 _Gama turns to look back at the Seekers.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “You can know why I let you go ‘scot-free’ now; just like you always wanted to know back when I made you sever that SparkMate bond with Crasher, if you’re still interested in hearing it that is.”  
  
 _Gama narrows his eye and nods, not taking his eye off Thundercracker.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “As the last Decepticon Breed in existence to have not yet been studied, with such a valuable opportunity on our hands, we decided to spare your life to further our learning. The research Perceptor had started many years ago on Cybertronian Behaviour, in particular Decepticon Behaviour, was missing two valuable pieces of research to establish the document as ‘completed’; and those two pieces where Male Pregnancy and Leader Class Behaviour.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “And because you were pregnant at the time, we saw it as a window of opportunity to study the pregnancy process…which is why someone was always watching you.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “As for the freedom after the Male pregnancy research; we wanted to learn more about the way your breed behaved, especially in such pressing environments. We had fragments of Leader Class behaviour documented on Megatron and Galvatron, but it was all witness observations that were never detailed enough. We needed to study a new specimen, alive and undisturbed in its natural habitat.”  
Acidstorm: “Even though that natural habitat has been diminished recently, but anywhere is better than watching inside a glass box.”  
  
 _Gama narrows his eye again and looks in disbelief at the Seekers.  
  
_ Gama: “…I was a social experiment?”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “No Gama; you where a Social Specimen. We studied you, never did anything to you.”  
Acidstorm: (Meekly) “Part of the ‘laws of research’ was to never interfere with the specimen; unfortunately we had to step in this time before you did something you’d regret.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “So you’ve known the nest was here all this time.”  
Thundercracker: “That’s right.”  
Gama: (Growling) “How.”  
  
 _Acidstorm blushes and rubs his head nervously, causing Thundercracker to groan and blush lightly himself.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Blushing) “Well…um…before you left us…when you wanted some interfacing…I…I slipped a tracking device up into your port.”  
  
 _Gama blinks in shock.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Blushing) “It was made to come out with the first egg you laid, since we were pretty sure you’d copulate again and get pregnant, so when you buried your nest the device told us exactly where it would be.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “Y-you sneaky son of a bitch! (In Thought) Fuck, Shockwave was right…I was being tracked!”  
Thundercracker: “The device allowed us to see where you went, so we could see if you followed any patterns. It also allowed us to ensure someone was constantly watching you.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “…all the time?”  
  
 _Thundercracker shakes his head.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “When you got a ship and went into space, nobody could see you…but they did follow you whenever your ship landed.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “So you don’t know who these eggs belong to?”  
Acidstorm: (Smiling) “We don’t care about that just now, it just yielded further opportunities to us when we realised you’d found a MALE mate and became pregnant.”  
Gama: (Blushing) “I-I’m not mated…”  
Thundercracker: “Liar; you radiate a SparkMate bond. You’re mated to a male Decepticon.”  
  
 _Gama cringes.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Also, we know the amnesia thing is a lie. Everyone knows it is.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “T-then why am I still allowed to be out here…oh.”  
Acidstorm: (Nodding) “Yes, the Autobots have been playing along with the amnesia plea just to allow you to continue living under our watch. They think we’re just studying how you survive, not got any ideas about this just now.”  
Thundercracker: “We plan on keeping it that way. Don’t cause any trouble, because it’s our necks on the line here, Gama; not just yours.”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Sighing) “We’ve meddled enough here, we need to leave you to carry on with what you were doing before.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “I can’t…I need to move…”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Instinctive drive to relocate his young after the nest has been tampered with…add that to the data.”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “Gama, we’ve visited your nest three times already and you never even realised it.”  
Thundercracker: “But he knows now, so he feels this location is no longer secure; add it to the data.”  
  
 _Gama rushes from the Seekers to his nest and throws his body over the exposed eggs, blocking Perceptors sight of them as he had taken microscope mode to view them.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “I’ll deal with the human and handle the Black Market issues. You and Perceptor carry on with the research, and keep it inconspicuous.”  
Acidstorm: “Understood.”  
  
 _Before Thundercracker departs with the human, Gama cries out ‘WAIT’ and stops him.  
  
_ Gama: (Weakly) “…my…my eggs they took…will you get them back?”  
  
 _Thundercracker sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose with his free hand.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Gama…I hate to tell you this but…if we get there and the eggs are already sold, they aren’t that easy to get back.”  
Gama: (Whimpering) “B-but if they aren’t sold?”  
Thundercracker: “They will have been handled by us, and would no longer be deemed suitable for this research as we have to avoid handling the eggs and touching the nest. We’ll recover them but you won’t get them back. We’ll keep them safe at the Autobot base for the father to look after, when we’re able to identify him that is.”  
  
 _Gama whimpers and looks to Acidstorm, who nods his head to confirm what Thundercracker said, causing Gama to sulk and huddle against his remaining eggs.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “I need to go now to catch the traders before they get whiff of us being on to them, so I’ll see you two later. Gama; I’ll see you…um…whenever I next see you.”  
  
 _Thundercracker transforms into jet mode and takes off with the injured thief, leaving Perceptor and Acidstorm with Gama.  
  
_ Perceptor: “Now then, to finish up here and…”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Go away now.”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “Gama…”  
Gama: (Growling) “I just had some of my eggs stolen, then I found out I was a Social Experiment---”  
Perceptor: “Ah-ah-ah….Social Specimen.”  
  
 _Gama snarls and bears his teeth to Perceptor.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Softly) “You want to be alone to think about what to do next, right?”  
Gama: (Coldly) “…shouldn’t you be avoiding direct contact with me, Acidstorm?”  
Acidstorm: (Blushing) “I’m not touching you…”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Talking with me is interfering with my natural way of living.”  
Perceptor: (Pondering) “So you say you instinctively desire to brood alone?”  
  
 _Gama growls at Perceptor and tucks his arms under his belly, securing his eggs safely beneath him whilst keeping them warm with his radiation generator.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Perceptor, let’s not ask him about that; we can just watch.”  
 _  
Gama hisses as Perceptor returns to robot-mode.  
_  
Perceptor: (Muttering) “Seems that is out of the question too.”  
Acidstorm: (Whining) “Then let’s just go; if he can’t see us, he can relax.”  
  
 _Gama growls deeply and scoops more sand and dirt underneath his body, to ensure neither of them could see his eggs. Perceptor rolls his eyes as he turns away, writing on a clipboard again, shortly followed by Acidstorm close behind him.  
Once Gama felt the two had really gone, he lifted his body and shuffled back to stare down at the eggs; gently picking them up one by one and sniffing them, licking the surface of each individual carefully as if tasting them.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “The males are all still here…so the ones they took where female.”  
  
 _Gama places each egg back into the nest and yawns, stretching his limbs and retracting his protective spines to roll onto his back. He stares up at the night sky, sighing heavily.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “Shockwave…I wish you could be here right now. Every time I stare up at the night sky, catching sight of the large bright stars, I think of you.”  
  
 _He rolls onto his side and climbs back over his eggs, nestling them beneath his body.  
  
_


	13. Quest for Knowledge

_Several hours later elsewhere, over at the Autobot Base, the captured Decepticons are all beginning to suspect something had happened to their young Leader, with him not being in the cells with the rest of them…  
Shockwave is stood with his arms leaning through the bars of his cell, ignoring the little pain the Energon bars were causing him, staring vacantly at the empty cell in front of him in deep thought; whilst the other Decepticons talked, expressing their concerns over the uneasy feelings within their camp, Shockwave was blocking all the noise out and thinking quietly to himself. Megatron was being kept in a different location along with Cyclonus and Scourge.  
The noise stopped the instant the main chamber doors opened, and in stepped Acidstorm and Perceptor with a box of small Energon cubes.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “Alright boys, we need a volunteer for a little…experiment…the one who volunteers gets a whole box of Energon Cubes.”  
  
 _There is an outburst of noise as Decepticons begin demanding the Energon, with the exception of Shockwave of course. Perceptor steps close to him and clicks his fingers at the entranced Decepticon, but gets no response.  
  
_ Perceptor: (Curious) “Acidstorm, take a look at this.”  
Acidstorm: “Hm, Old Shockwave? What’s wrong with him?”  
Perceptor: (Confused) “Totally entranced, deep in thought as you’d expect him to be, but look at his face.”  
  
 _Acidstorm places the box of Energon down and moves closer to Shockwaves cell, looking at his face; he seemed to be upset about something, looking to be close to crying.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Shocked) “Sweet Primus…I’ve never seen Shockwave pull an expression like this before.”  
Perceptor: (Nodding) “Exactly why I think he should be our specimen; he’s exhibiting significant changes in mood compared to his colleagues, radiates a SparkMate Bond AND has the best temperament out of the whole bunch.”  
  
 _Acidstorm folds his arms and glares at Shockwave.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Curious) “A SparkMate Bond? Shockwave? That’s impossible; he’d never court with another Cybertronian even if he was the last male of the species.”  
Perceptor: (Smirking) “But he has, and I’m guessing over who he may have courted with.”  
Acidstorm: (Pointing) “If you’re suggesting Shockwave is mated to Gama then you need to have Ratchet check your brain over.”  
Perceptor: “It’s worth a try at least, isn’t it?”  
  
 _Acidstorm mutters to himself.  
  
_ Perceptor: (Quietly) “Shockwave… Shockwave.”  
  
 _Shockwave looks up at Perceptor before looking away again.  
  
_ Perceptor: “We have someone you might want to meet, Shockwave. Why don’t you talk to us for a little while and we’ll let you go see them, hm?”  
Shockwave: (Coldly) “Not interested.”  
  
 _Shockwave removes himself from the front of the cell and moves to the back, with his back facing the duo._  
  
Acidstorm: (Pointing) “He may have the best temperament but that doesn’t mean he’ll cooperate. Forget about him.”  
Perceptor: (Whispering) “I think I know how to get him to cooperate.”  
Acidstorm: “Liar; Shockwave is not that easy to just…do whatever you tell him to do…he’s the freaking Decepticon Leaders pet dog; he’s trained to kill us.”  
Perceptor: (Chuckling) “Ah-ah-ah…just watch and see.”  
  
 _Shockwave turns to look over his shoulder slightly, watching as Perceptor reaches for his back storage compartment to reveal something in his hands, which he keeps thoroughly covered for now.  
  
_ Perceptor: (Calling) “As a fellow scientist, Shockwave, can you at least examine this with us? It is…most curious.”  
  
 _Shockwave rolls his eye and turns around fully, returning to the front of the cell and looking down at Perceptors hands; the Autobot scientist slowly opens his hands to reveal one of Gama’s eggs that the thieves had stolen, which Thundercracker managed to reclaim. Shockwave scratches his head and looks confused at Perceptor.  
  
_ Shockwave: “A Decepticon Egg, I was sure even an Autobot like you would have known that.”  
Perceptor: (Smirking) “We want to know who it belongs to. Only a Decepticon optic can decipher the owner of say…an egg…so specifically.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “Nonsense. A Decepticon can detect who an egg belongs to by smell, not sight. Let me look at it closer.”  
  
 _Perceptor raises the egg up for Shockwave to look at closer, and he lightly sniffs it; he registers the smell but can’t believe it, and sniffs again but much harder. Then, when he was certain of who the owner was, he quickly lashed forwards and tried to grab it from Perceptor; but the Autobot was expecting the outburst and stepped back, narrowly avoiding Shockwaves claws.  
  
_ Perceptor: (Chuckling) “We’ve just found our Egg’s father.”   
Acidstorm: (Shocked) “T-that’s impossible! It’s not possible!”  
  
 _Shockwave snarls and steps back from the cell bars, growling.  
  
_ Perceptor: (Curious) “Tell me, Shockwave; how did a lower-classed Decepticon such as yourself manage to impregnate the highest-classed? If what I’ve learnt so far is correct, you shouldn’t be alive anymore.”  
Shockwave: (Growling) “Gama is different. Now give me that.”  
Perceptor: “Just a few moments…I need conclusive answers, described and answered thoroughly, before I can give you this egg.”  
  
 _Shockwave growls again.  
  
_ Perceptor: “Now…how did you manage to copulate with your superior, when as the facts clearly state; a Leader kills anyone who attempts to mount them.”  
Shockwave: (Angry) “I told you already; Gama is different. Special circumstances made it possible for him to carry offspring, and because he was ‘gay’ he approved of the behaviour.”  
Acidstorm: (Shocked) “So a gay Leader Class allows others to mount him…that is really bizarre, but makes sense as to why Gama never attacked me for doing it.”  
  
 _Shockwave lashes out at the cell bars again, targeting Acidstorm.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Shouting) “He’s my mate! MINE!”  
Acidstorm: (Whimpering) “Y-yes…of course…it was a long time ago so no need for violence…”  
  
 _Shockwave pants as he rests on the bars, still ignoring the pain from their touch.  
_  
Perceptor: “Alright Shockwave, due to special circumstances we’ll move you to where the other eggs are being kept.”  
Shockwave: (Growling) “You took them all?”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “No, some Egg-Thieves stole them from Gama as he slept. We got them back before they could be sold at the Black Market.”  
Perceptor: “We’d give them back to Gama but, we can’t really give him something that’s been handled by outside influences. However, you can look after them instead.”  
  
 _Shockwave growls and looks away from the duo.  
  
_ Perceptor: (Nodding) “We’ll move the eggs into a different chamber and then we can transfer you to be with them, you have my word.”  
Shockwave: (Coldly) “An Autobots word means nothing to me.”  
  
 _Shockwave trails free from the cell bars and lies down at the back of his cell, leaving Perceptor and Acidstorm stood looking inside. Acidstorm sighs and picks up the box of Energon again, before handing it out to the other Decepticons leaving Perceptor to think to himself as he watched Shockwave.  
Days later and Shockwave had finally been moved to the contained nest of five eggs, protecting them from anyone who dared set foot into the chamber; on the occasional day he would be moved to a different cell for Acidstorm to document the eggs growth and overall development without Shockwave being there to claw him to pieces.  
 Gama had also taken up more small jobs for the Autobots to keep himself, and his hidden nest, safe by keeping on Rodimus primes ‘good side’; the amnesia thing had been exposed as a lie, but Thundercracker had dealt with that problem already which allowed Gama to keep the freedom he had, with some limitations.  
A tracking device was placed onto Gama again (but this time, in a more obvious and less violated place) allowing the Autobots to keep an eye on where he went, and sometimes on what he did; Thundercracker made it clear to Rodimus that the spot Gama seemed to return to every day was where he was sleeping, providing (false) witness accounts from Acidstorm and Perceptor to confirm it. So, to Gama and the scientist’s relief, the Autobots decided to not watch Gama in a certain zone; namely the place he was ‘sleeping’.  
Gama was still curious around the other Cybertronians; especially in terms of where they had his father held, and where the Titrons had Sixshot held. It took Gama two weeks doing the extra small jobs before Thundercracker granted him visiting privileges to ANY Decepticon, but to see his father Gama had to fully earn Thundercrackers trust.  
Today he was lucky; Gama had been granted permission to visit Shockwave, and later on he could see his father. Shockwave had been moved to his separate holding cell, leaving the eggs in the main chamber to have their weekly examination.  
Thundercracker leads Gama in through the main doors to the laboratory, where Shockwave was waiting behind Energon Bars.  
  
_ Gama: (Verge of Crying) “Shocky!”  
Shockwave: (Surprised) “G-Gama?!”  
  
 _Gama rushes to the bars and tries to hug Shockwave through them, but gets stung by the bars electric charge; it is not painful to him, but it still forces him to move back. Shockwave sticks out an arm between the bars, allowing Gama to hold it and cling to it instead.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “Why are you here? Did they…?”  
Gama: (Crying) “No; Thundercracker has been helping…he’s said it’s where I sleep, so the Autobots won’t investigate…”  
Shockwave: “I see…keeping them, and you, safe.”  
 _  
Gama nods his head and shuts his eye, still embracing Shockwaves arm.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “How long does he plan on keeping you outside?”  
Thundercracker: “For as long as I possibly can; he’s safer out there than staying in here.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “He’d be safer if I was around him---”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “Behind bars? That’s the only other option Rodimus Prime is giving us you know; Gama either lives outside, enduring the harsh weather and conditions that help us learn more about his breed AND of any illegal Black Market traders…or he gets put into a cell, unable to return to his nest to look after your Sparklings, and gets the same treatment his father received.”  
  
 _Shockwave lowers his head and looks away, with Gama drying his tears and looking slightly worried._  
  
Gama: “…treatment? What treatment?”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “You’ll find out soon enough.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “So you understand now Shockwave, why he has to stay out there ALONE.”  
Shockwave: (Muttering) “Yes.”  
Thundercracker: “I’ll have no further complaints from you. Now you have five more minutes before I take him to see Megatron for a little chat…so make it quick.”  
  
 _Thundercracker turns away, allowing Gama and Shockwave to whisper to each other in Decepticon._  
  
Shockwave: (Whispering) “The other eggs; how are they?”  
Gama: (Whispering) “Safe and sound; I bury them with sand and grass, clean them off every time I return to lay over them…”  
Shockwave: (Whispering) “I heard about the thieves…I’m sure you tried all you could to stop it from happening…but I can’t help but worry…”  
Gama: (Whispering) “It’s hard doing both my job and your job, but I feel like I’m doing alright…they only took five, and they were all female anyway.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Two minutes.”  
Shockwave: (Whispering) “So the males are all safe…that’s good.”  
Gama: (Whispering) “I wish you could be with me, Shocky; it gets cold up on that mesa, and windy…”  
  
 _Shockwave purrs as Gama nuzzles his arm, only for Thundercracker to break the mood by pulling Gama away.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Okay, that’s five minutes…I’d give you more time but Gama isn’t even supposed to be here, I have to get him out before someone else sees him.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “…I understand.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Shocky…you can trust me, I’ll do a good job with the rest of them…just keep your chin up and let these idiots know you’re not to be trifled with!”  
  
 _Shockwave smirks and waves his claw tiredly as Gama is dragged out of the lab and into a new one; inside the new lab, there are many Autobots and Titrons scurrying about with medical equipment and charts, with Acidstorm stood in front of a glass window writing on a clipboard in excitement.  
Thundercracker slowly drags Gama over to Acidstorm, but prevents Gama from looking inside the room the window looks into._  
 _  
_Thundercracker: “Okay, I brought him. Is he in a good mood today?”  
  
 _Acidstorm yelps in surprise and nearly drops the clipboard before quickly turning to face Thundercracker.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Panting) “Primus Thundercracker! You scared the Spark out of me!”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Oh the horror.”  
  
 _Acidstorm notices Gama and carefully hides the clipboard behind his back before leaning towards him.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Quietly) “Hey Gama; you up for a quick chat with your old man?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “…let me guess, this isn’t technically allowed either.”  
Thundercracker: “It is allowed, in fact, it’s needed for a part of our research.”  
Gama: (Curious) “Which is about, what exactly?”  
Thundercracker & Acidstorm: (In unison) “Classified.”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself as Thundercracker finally moves away from the window, to recover the clipboard Acidstorm had tried hiding from Gama moments ago; Gama could now see into the room, and inside he couldn’t see anyone. The inside of the room had a great deal of damage, both to the walls and to anything that had been put inside. Gama tries to focus on everything in the room to see if he could see any hidden doors or places his father could be hiding, but he saw nothing at all; it was then that Gama was able to overhear a whisper from Acidstorm, as he was talking to Thundercracker._  
  
Acidstorm: (Whispering) “Gama’s probably not going to like what’s happened to him…I mean…sure he’s calmed down and everything but still…”  
  
 _Gama raises a brow in curiosity as he continues listening, and scouting the room for his father.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Whispering) “He won’t know if anything has happened, so long as Megatron keeps quiet about it himself…and knowing him he’d never let his son know about something like that.”  
Acidstorm: (Whispering) “Ah, that’s true…”  
Thundercracker: (Whispering) “We can’t put Gama in there though if he’s still aggressive; so how has his mood been today?”  
Acidstorm: (Whispering) “He’s getting craftier with the camouflage. Just today he jumped on us from the ceiling and tried to make a run for it, but because of err…’that’…he couldn’t move fast, so was easy to catch.”  
  
 _Gama immediately stops searching on ground level and looks to the ceiling, but sees nothing.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Whispering) “That didn’t answer my question; how has his mood been?”  
Acidstorm: (Whispering) “When we weren’t inside the room, he seemed calm and content enough. The pacing and trying to break down the walls has stopped.”  
Thundercracker: (Muttering) “Finally.”  
  
 _Thundercracker and Acidstorm turn to Gama again.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Alright, it seems like you can go inside.”  
Gama: (Suspecting) “…I have a feeling this isn’t a good idea.”  
Acidstorm: (Confused) “But don’t you want to talk to him? See how he is?”  
Gama: “I…don’t know what it is…but something is telling me inside that he won’t be the same…”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Isolation can make anybot feel a little different, so don’t worry about it. Just go inside and talk to him.”  
  
 _Thundercracker gently nudges Gama to the main door into the room, with Acidstorm pushing him in with force once the door was opened and slamming it shut behind him once he was inside.  
Gama freezes in the eerie silence; he couldn’t see Megatron or even hear him, and what made him more worried was that he couldn’t smell him either.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “Okay, we’re letting him in now.”  
  
 _Gama swallows nervously as a hidden door revealed and opened, and Megatron slowly (and weakly) came out. Gama’s eye widens in shock as his father locked his sights onto him, but Gama felt that something was not right about his father.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “…father? Are…are you alright?”  
  
 _Megatron mutters to himself and sits down, before growling and standing up again. He instantly begins pacing back and forth, still muttering to himself, showing signs of discomfort and uneasiness.  
Gama moves closer to Megatron cautiously, expecting him to launch an attack with how uneasy he appeared to be.  
  
_ Gama: (Cautiously) “Father? Hello?”  
  
 _Megatron moves back the instant he sees Gama get too close and refuses to move anywhere near him. Gama stops trying to approach and observes at a distance, narrowing his eye as if suspecting something.  
  
_ Gama: “…are you disgusted by the fact I’ve had Sparklings? Is this why you’re refusing to speak to me?”  
  
 _Megatron looks to Gama before looking away again, almost immediately after realising he was still being looked at.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “No…it’s not that…this isn’t disgust, its fear…”  
  
 _Gama takes one massive step forward, with Megatron moving further back as soon as he heard the footstep. Gama growls deeply and turns to face the window.  
  
_ Gama: (Snarling) “What did you do to him?!”  
Thundercracker: (VO) “That’s not important; just try to get him to talk.”  
Gama: (Angry) “NO; you’ve done something to him, something that’s made him lose his self respect! Just look at how afraid he is!! This isn’t how a member of my breed is supposed to be!”  
Acidstorm: (VO/Worried) “I told you he’d suspect something…”  
Thundercracker: (VO) “Shut up.”  
  
 _Gama turns to Megatron, still snarling, which causes Megatron to cower. Gama tries to fight the anger within him to try and think more clearly; but he struggles and releases an almost deafening roar at his already terrified father. Megatron panics and rushes back to the hidden door to get back inside the room he was in before, only to find it was sealed shut.  
Gama hisses and looks at the floor, trying to ease his anger.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “That’ll do…”  
  
 _The hidden door opens again and Megatron quickly rushes inside, with Gama trying to rush to it as well only to reach it just as it had shut. The main room door opens and Acidstorm steps inside with his clipboard, making notes.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Meekly) “…as you can tell, we did something to Megatron that made him more…submissive.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Why.”  
  
 _Thundercracker enters the room and taps his hand against one of the damaged walls.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Stern) “This wall was made to survive a nuclear bomb, but look at the damage your father did BEFORE we modified him.”  
Gama: (Angry) “That is part of our nature as a Leader Class! You can’t just…just…change that!”  
Acidstorm: “We didn’t want to do it, but Rodimus Prime told us to.”  
Gama: (Growling) “You could have treated him with more respect, then maybe he’d have been more open to you…but NO, you had to…do whatever is was you did.”  
Thundercracker: “Why do you think we gave Megatron all those target dummies to wreck; because we wanted to see him in action? No, we’ve all seen him tear others limb from limb before. We did it because it makes him feel better.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “And Gama…Rodimus Prime issued us to do the same treatment to you, when we brought you in…”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I still don’t know what this ‘treatment’ is that you’re talking about. And if you did do it on me, I feel no different.”  
Acidstorm: (Meekly) “It’s best if you don’t know what the treatment was…”  
Thundercracker: “I had a long debate with Rodimus about it, and got you in the clear, which is why you don’t feel any different. I tried to get the same done for your father and a handful of others, but he didn’t see the point.”  
  
 _Gama blinks, before looking around himself.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “…who else got this treatment, might I ask?”  
Thundercracker: “Megatron, Cyclonus, Ramjet and Decepticon X.”  
Gama: “Decepticon X?” _  
_Acidstorm: (Stern) “Classified.”  
  
 _Gama growls.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Cyclonus had the treatment before Megatron, as the ‘trial’ test subject. He didn’t need it doing, but Rodimus wanted to be certain the treatment worked. Ramjet needed it pretty badly…and Decepticon X, well, if he didn’t have it he’d have killed us all.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Tell me what this treatment is already! I have a right to know what you’ve done to my father!!”  
  
 _Acidstorm and Thundercracker whisper to each other, with Gama growling deeply the more impatient he became. Eventually Thundercracker ‘wins’ the argument and nods; turning back to face Gama with his arms folded._  
 _  
_Thundercracker: “He got neutered.”  
  
 _Gama remains stoic, blinking in disbelief for a few moments, before his jaw dropped and he began to pant in a rage.  
  
_ Gama: (Shouting) “You did WHAT?!”  
Thundercracker: “You heard me the first time; he got neutered, his ball bearings removed.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “And along with them, his hot-temper and self esteem faded away.”  
Gama: (Snarling) “You rotten sons of---”  
Thundercracker: “Think about this calmly, Gama…he could either have kept them and been killed for being too hostile, or he could have had them removed and become much calmer and happier around the likes of us.”  
Gama: (Angry) “He’s not happy, he’s confused and terrified!”  
  
 _Gama roars at Thundercracker so loud that Acidstorm panicked and tried to hide behind him, but Thundercracker remained stoic and held his ground.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “I got Rodimus to keep yours so we could study you, without your behaviour changing in any way…but I think if you keep behaving this way once the research is done, I might have Acidstorm cut them out.”  
  
 _Gama bears his teeth at Acidstorm and roars threateningly at him, causing him to cower even more behind Thundercracker._  
 _  
_Thundercracker: “So hold your temper, otherwise you might not be able to ‘hold’ your ball bearings anymore.”  
  
 _Gama continues to pant in a rage, but lowers his threatening looks and growling. Acidstorm leaves the room and hides outside, as Thundercracker carefully escorts Gama from the room and back into the lab. Once outside of the room, Gama felt control slowly returning to him, and was no longer showing signs of anger; he was, however, glaring at Acidstorm for having gone through the surgery process with little protest.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Ignore Acidstorm, he got the information we wanted.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “…confirmation that, by removing a Leader Class’ Males Storage Tanks, they become cowering sacks of scrap metal.”  
Thundercracker: “Gama.”  
  
 _Thundercracker turns to Gama and places a hand onto his shoulder, but Gama refuses to look at him.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “First you take away his honour, then you take away his friends and family, now you’ve taken away his self esteem and confidence. When will the taking end, Thundercracker?”  
Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Gama, there are some things you just have no control over…and Megatron was losing control over his own mind and body because he was still so close to your eggs; we tried to move him further away, but this was as far away as we could get him, and he still continued to behave like a savage. Sedation only stopped him for short periods of time, and he even started developing a tolerance to the inhibitor ray, our only remaining options were chemicals or surgery.”  
  
 _Gama sighs heavily.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Brotherly) “And Gama; we both know exactly what happened to the last Leader Class who was calmed with chemicals…he’s just as scared and confused as his father, only now he has lots of lives to worry about.” _  
  
Gama looks to Thundercracker out of the corner of his eye, before looking away again.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Surgery was the only answer; he’ll be in a bit of pain for a while, but once he’s healed up he’ll feel much better.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “…Dern had no choice injecting me with those chemicals, you know…I was about to rip out his throat…”  
Thundercracker: (Brotherly) “The fury you felt is natural for your breed, but it doesn’t help its reputation one bit. You’re not a killer, Gama; you like to fight and make sure others respect you, but to kill another Cybertronian in cold blood…that’s not who you are.”  
Gama: “But I killed hundreds of Cybertronians and humans…I enjoyed doing it back then…so what’s to stop it happening again?”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “You were at the peak of your development, Gama. Your chemicals were swarming like a wildfire through your circuits, consuming everything they could, and when you mated during the Rite of Passage those chemicals subsided…now tell me, have you killed anyone since then?”  
Gama: “No, but…”  
Thundercracker: (Nodding) “The chemicals came back, telling you to get a son, correct?”  
Gama: “Y-yeah…but…”  
Thundercracker: “They began to run out of control, you tried to kill this ‘Dern’ character, and then he hit you with the female chemicals…curing your little chemical problem; I use that term lightly considering it’s caused you all sorts of NEW problems instead.”  
  
 _Gama nods.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Now you’ve not killed anyone since you mated at the Rite of Passage ceremony, so killing is not part of your beliefs; its part of your instinctive programming, which is controlled by your ‘hormone’ chemicals, and therefore your ‘killers instinct’ drive can be controlled through small doses of female chemicals or by surgery to remove the things that….”  
Gama: (Stern) “I get it, stop rambling.”  
  
 _Gama tries to leave, only for Thundercracker to move in front of him, obstructing his path out of the labs. Thundercracker coughs and adjusts his helmet, locking line of sight with Gama.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Stern) “Gama, you can’t leave yet…”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I thought you said you got all the information you needed?”  
Thundercracker: “Well…errr…yes, that’s true about your father’s response and everything…but we need some hands-on information on a Leader Class, right here, right now.”  
 _  
Gama blinks and tilts his head, only for Thundercracker to match him by tilting his own.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “…a few simple answers to some simple questions, a few easy tasks…what do you say?”  
  
 _Gama narrows his eye and ponders, turning to look over his shoulder back at the windowed room and back to Thundercracker.  
  
_ Gama: (Coldly) “That all depends on what you want to know, or what you want me to do.”  
Thundercracker: “Just want to know some very basic stuff, Gama. You’ll laugh at how little we really know about your breed by the questions.”  
Gama: (Laughing) “Will I now? I’m laughing already by how pathetic an answer you gave me; (Stern) now what do you want to know?”  
 _  
Thundercracker sighs with relief and obtains a clipboard from a nearby desk, before he begins writing down on it. He pats a hand onto a nearby operating table, gesturing Gama to sit down, but he remains standing.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Distracted) “Prefers to stand up and not sit down; sign of authority, looking down on others.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Or maybe I’m concerned about what might have been on that table.”  
  
 _Thundercracker coughs nervously.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Alright; do you practice displaying threats or does it just come naturally?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “That all depends on the situation; we practice displaying threats for common foes, but against the higher than average Decepticons, it all comes naturally through experience.”  
Thundercracker: (Distracted) “Alright…so fifty-fifty…”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Primus.”  
Thundercracker: “How large a perimeter do you form for territory?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “AGAIN, that depends on the situation. If there’s females involved, you don’t form a perimeter, you invade one. If you have offspring, you leave scent marks everywhere within a forty mile radius. The rest of the time you just leave scent marks around until you feel tired.”  
Thundercracker: (Curious) “Really? That’s interesting…because if what you say is official for your breed, that means your territory borders are much smaller than a Seekers is.”  
Gama: “…what.”  
Thundercracker: “Never mind…next question; do you enforce your authority by harming your comrades?”  
Gama: (Bluntly) “No.”  
  
 _Thundercracker blinks and stares in amazement.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “…seriously? You don’t even hit them?”  
Gama: (Nodding) “That’s right; I roar at them, but I’ve never hit any of them other than in training.”  
Thundercracker: (Awed) “That is remarkable…Megatron always use to hit us.”  
 _  
Gama mutters to himself.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Okay, how often do you frag-off?”  
  
 _Gama slips over nothing and falls over in shock, recovering quickly from the fall.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Confused) “…are your motor relays damaged like Crashers?”  
Gama: (Shouting) “F-frag-off?! What do you take me for?!!”  
Thundercracker: “Hey, if you don’t just say so…but it’d help if you told the truth.”  
  
 _Gama growls deeply and folds his arms.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “I only did it when I was forced to be separated from Crasher…I’ve not done it since I’ve partnered to Shockwave.”  
Thundercracker: “That wasn’t hard now, was it?”  
  
 _Gama mutters again.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Okay I’ll make this the last question; it might be a bit strange but please answer truthfully…”  
Gama: (Muttering) “This is going to be bad, I know it.”  
Thundercracker: “Why did you let a subordinate mount you?”  
  
 _Gama growls deeply, bearing his fangs.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Just answer the question, no need for threats.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Because *mutter mutter*”  
Thundercracker: “Louder.”  
Gama: (Angry) “I’m gay, alright?!”  
Thundercracker: “I see…and that explains why he mounted you, and not you mounting him, how?”  
Gama: (Growling) “Because I was the one in season; craving physical attention, mating, offspring…I feel things a female desires when in season…”  
 _  
Thundercracker blinks and quickly makes note of what Gama told him, before putting the clipboard aside and obtaining a new one.  
  
_ Gama: (Whining) “I thought you said this was all over?”  
Thundercracker: “Questions are, but now it’s time for the minor tasks.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Until you tell me what they are, I won’t do them.”  
Thundercracker: (Sighing) “Simple puzzles to determine if your strength lies in sight, smell, hearing or touch. Radar will not be allowed for blindfolded tasks.”  
 _  
Gama mutters to himself as Thundercracker waves him over to another table, where several blocks lay in odd shapes and sizes along with one large block with shapes cut out of it.  
  
_ Gama: (Insulted) “This is a Sparkling’s puzzle!”  
Thundercracker: “You think that at first glance, but once you start doing it you’ll realise that this is modified heavily to test adults.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Pfft…we’ll soon see. You won’t need to time it, I’ll be that fast.”  
 _  
Thundercracker chuckles as Gama begins the puzzle, deciding to time him in secret; Gama is quick to discover that the puzzle indeed had been modified to test adults with, as shapes that appeared to be identical to their cut-outs didn’t fit into any of the slots. Gama eventually resorts to trying every single block in each slot, until finally finishing the puzzle.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Seems you can’t decipher shapes that well, but then again you do have the uh…missing optic.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Nobody could solve that puzzle any faster, it’s deceitful.”  
Thundercracker: (Chuckling) “The Insecticons solved it within two minutes.”  
  
 _Gama blinks in disbelief, before shaking it off as he was shown the next puzzle; a large curled thread of wire with a hand tool beside it, the tool had a wire sticking out of it in the shape of a loop, and the main body of wire was stood in between the loop in the hand tool.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Try to get this around the wire path without touching the main track; a buzz will sound if you touch it.”  
  
 _Gama groans and approaches the puzzle, attempting to manoeuvre around the wire track only to set the buzzer off several times, until finally completing it.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Curious) “Your spatial awareness isn’t that sound either…the Seekers did this without even setting the buzzer off.”  
  
 _Gama growls as he is lead to the next puzzle, only to be blindfolded by Thundercracker.  
  
_ Gama: “H-hey!”  
Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Shhh! Just trust your audio receptors on this one, alright?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “W-what’s going to happen?”  
Thundercracker: “I’m going to give you a net, and I’m going to let out Lazerbeak; you need to catch him in the net.”  
Gama: (Whining) “Blindfolded?! This is ridiculous!”  
  
 _Thundercracker forces the net into Gama’s hands, before moving over to where Lazerbeak was being contained.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Okay, no radar…three…two…one!”  
  
 _Thundercracker releases Lazerbeak, and Gama tries to lock on to his current position by hearing alone, but ends up swinging the net at Thundercracker; completely missing his target.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Audio tracking is poor; the Triple Changers did this in one try.”  
  
 _Gama removes the blindfold and growls at Thundercracker.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “Let me do it again, but without the blindfold!”  
Thundercracker: “That goes against the purpose of the test…now come on, the next one might be your lucky break.”  
  
 _Gama growls again as he is lead to the next puzzle, where he is blindfolded again and is forced to sit in front of a table.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Okay, we’re going to bring in three items…we want you to smell each one, and to tell us which one belongs to a human being.”  
 _  
Gama mutters to himself as the items are brought and placed onto the table; Thundercracker picks up the first item, a wrench, and holds it close to Gama who lightly begins sniffing.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Wrench; belongs to my mother.”  
Thundercracker: (Shocked) “T-that’s incredible! You knew who it belonged to and what it was through smell?!”  
Gama: “That’s right. Now the next one?”  
  
 _Thundercracker puts the wrench down and holds up the next item; a rubber ball, Gama sniffs it lightly before sniffing at it harder.  
  
_ Gama: “Rubber ball, belonging to a male Sparkling; Seeker breed, possibly two to three years old. Has a broken left tail-fin, which he’s on medication for, and drinks too much of his mothers Energon.”  
Thundercracker: (Shocked) “T-that’s amazing! Acidstorm! Come over here!”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself as he hears Acidstorm and several others rush over.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “What? What’s going on?”  
Thundercracker: (Awed) “Gama is acing at the scent test! He’s even picking up injuries and age of the individual if he doesn’t know them by name!”  
Acidstorm: (Shocked) “I-impossible! He might have known who or what these items were beforehand! Bring in something he’s NEVER seen before!”  
  
 _Gama groans as he hears someone rush off and back again, possibly with new items for him to smell.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Excited) “Okay Gama…tell us who this belongs to.”  
  
 _Gama remains totally stoic until Thundercracker held the ‘mystery item’ close to him, whereby his scent glands went into frenzy. He began violently sniffing the item, making Acidstorm and the others become highly interested. Gama eventually pulls back from the item and sits perfectly still, his mouth slightly open as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just smelt.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Excited) “W-well? Do you know?”  
Gama: “…Leader Class, approximately thirty feet tall, fully grown adult male. Recently broke his jaw and cannot drink Energon.”  
Acidstorm: (Shocked) “N-no way! How did he know that?!”  
Gama: “I smelt piping that would be usually inserted down the throat, for force-feeding. This item was chewed or inside the owners mouth at one point.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Alright Gama…now…can you identify what the item is, and who the owner is?”  
  
 _Gama sniffs the item again and repeats the previous process; sniffing hard, pulling back with his mouth open slightly.  
  
_ Gama: “The item is a fragment from either a training dummy or some unfortunate humanoids vehicle. I cannot tell one hundred percent what it is, as it’s made of Earth material.”  
Acidstorm: (Laughing) “That answers good enough for me! Let’s mark him down as acing the test!”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “No…not yet…I still want to know if he knows who it was that chewed up this car…”  
Acidstorm: (Whining) “Oh come on, Thundercracker…he’s never met him before, he’ll never know.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “It was Sixshot.”  
Thundercracker & Acidstorm: (In Unison) “WHAT!?”  
  
 _Gama removes the blindfold and stares down at the chewed up fragment in disgust.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “Sixshot…other than my father and I, he’s the only other Leader Class of Decepticon origin left. I only figured out it was exactly him by eliminating other possibilities.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “B-but…it could have been Megatron…”  
Gama: “This individual had a broken jaw, my father did not. They are also much larger than my father.”  
Thundercracker: (Excited) “This is remarkable! A Leader Class’ key sense is SMELL. He struggled but didn’t totally fail at visual tests, but that was because of his missing optic. However, he did fail the auditory test…”  
Acidstorm: (Awed) “I want him to identify more samples! Such a keen sense of smell could solve a lot of problems!”  
Thundercracker: “No, he needs to explain what he uses his sense of smell for in everyday life before we can decide on how to take advantage of it.”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “I concur! But we need him to…”  
  
 _Gama sighs and looks down at the table, at the other objects someone had brought in, and lightly sniffs at them to take his mind off of the debating going on between Thundercracker and Acidstorm.  
He shows particular interest in the scent coming from a branch from a tree, and begins violently sniffing it like he did with the car fragment moments ago.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Ranting) “Furthermore, I say---”  
Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Shhh…look.”  
  
 _Gama doesn’t even stop to pull back and assess what it was he had detected, and was fully entranced in what he smelt.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Awed) “Q-quick…make a note of that!! Make a note!!”  
Acidstorm: (Frantic) “I’m making as many notes as I can!!”  
  
 _Gama purrs and tries to bring the branch closer to him, only to find Thundercracker keeping it securely on the table.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Curious) “…identify who’s scent that is, and you can have it.”  
  
 _Gama lightly shakes his head, to rid himself of the trance he had been put in by the smell, before pulling back and away from the branch._  
 _  
_Gama: (Blushing) “I…I know who’s it is but…I can’t tell you.”  
Thundercracker: “Oh?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “If Shockwave ever found out I was put into a trance by that smell, he’d be furious.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Gama, it’s alright, we won’t be sharing any of these findings with Shockwave no matter how curious he becomes…you can tell us.”  
  
 _Gama blushes even more and looks away.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “It’s….Crasher.”  
Acidstorm: (Whining) “Anyone could have worked that one out, only he could leave a mark that powerful.”  
Gama: “B-but…this is old.”  
Acidstorm: (Confused) “Old? What do you mean by ‘old’?”  
Thundercracker: “It’s a branch from the Rite of Passage; we found ‘someone’ had been fraging off and tried to identify who it was with some new equipment we had…Crasher and someone else had been fraging off, we couldn’t identify the second Cybertronian since we didn’t have any samples.”  
  
 _Gama twitches.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Confused) “Why keep a branch that long?! What’s with you?!”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Hey, we wanted to find out who the second Cybertronian was through reading each line of code in the Solder one by one. We’re still reading that blasted code even now.”  
Acidstorm: (Whining) “Get Gama to tell you…I’m sure the smell is still there.”  
  
 _Thundercracker turns to face Gama again, who blushes and tries to look away.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Slyly) “Come on Gama; do this and you can take the branch.”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “Shit reward, Thundercracker.”  
  
 _Gama swallows nervously, fidgeting with his fingers.  
  
_ Gama: (Nervous) “It’s…mine.”  
  
 _Acidstorm and Thundercracker blink, before laughing.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Chuckling) “Well that solves the mystery of the second Cybertronian! As promised, the branch is yours.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “I don’t want it…I want something else.”  
Thundercracker: “Hmm? Like what?”  
  
 _Gama points to a Cybertronian egg, of Dinobot origin, but Thundercracker takes it up and hides it from Gama’s sight.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Stern) “Gama…no…this one isn’t even yours.”  
Gama: “I know it’s not mine; it belongs to a Dinobot.”  
Acidstorm: (Curious) “Then why want it?”  
  
 _Gama looks away in shame.  
  
_ Gama: “N-never mind…I don’t want anything.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Gama.”  
Acidstorm: (Curious) “Do you know who this egg belongs to?”  
Gama: (Nodding) “I do.”  
Thundercracker: “Then you know why you can’t touch it…”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “I still want to know why you wanted it exactly, Gama.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “It’s a Dinobot’s egg; it contains masses of nutrients that Gama needs to supplement the ones he lost in pregnancy.”  
Acidstorm: “But that pregnancy ended a month ago.”  
Thundercracker: “And Rodimus Prime hasn’t been giving Gama any minerals to replenish himself with; he’s had to find them on his own, and still hasn’t fully recovered. Eating the egg would restore him to normal, which is why he wanted it…”  
Acidstorm: (Shocked) “Eat a Dinobot egg?! But that’s madness! The p-parent would---”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “A Leader Class isn’t afraid of anything other than another Leader Class; to Gama, a Dinobot nest is just a quick and simple form of replenishment.”  
  
 _Gama sighs heavily as Thundercracker hands the Dinobot Egg to Acidstorm.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Take that back to the nest before its mother gets worried, I said I’d bring it back as soon as the test was finished.”  
  
 _Acidstorm nods and takes the egg, making sure to keep Gama in his sights as he left the lab as Gama locked his own sights on the egg, eyeing it with interest until it was gone.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Sighing) “I know Insecticon eggs aren’t as…appealing…but if you seriously need the nutrients and minerals, I can give you some.”  
Gama: (Disgusted) “Insecticons? No thanks, I’d rather eat dirt.”  
  
 _Thundercracker chuckles and begins leading Gama out of the lab; heading back towards the base exit and to outside as they talked.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “There’s a chance that if you ask the humans nicely, they’ll let you have some minerals.”  
Gama: (Snorting) “I know better than to sink low enough to ask the humans for help.”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “Stealing from them is not an option either. You need to be on your best behaviour around them, to not piss of Rodimus Prime.”  
Gama: “I know that Human minerals are off my menu then.”  
Thundercracker: “I can give you some of my provisions if you want?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I appreciate the offer, but no thanks; I’ll find my own.”  
  
 _They finally reach the exit, with Thundercracker stopping at the exit whilst Gama continued walking.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Calling) “Please Gama; try not to do something stupid.”  
  
 _Gama snorts and continues his trek into the valley, heading back to his nest to brood them for the rest of the afternoon.  
  
_


	14. Desperate Measures

_Gama spent the whole afternoon tending to his nest and eggs; keeping them clean and warm, moist with fresh Energon and a new foliage bed beneath them. He spent a majority of the evening brooding on his eggs as well, until his processor (stomach) began to churn in hunger.  
His body was feeling weak from mineral deprivation; Energon levels were fine as he could make it himself in the day, but his joints and minor systems ran on oils, gasoline’s and raw metals to keep him in peak physical fitness. Without them, he would vegetate around the nest until eventually being totally unable to move. Those who were built on Cybertron needed Cybertonium every few thousand years to keep healthy, but those who were born needed it along with other minerals every month due to their more complex build.  
Gama growled weakly to himself as he removed himself from the nest, covering it over with sand and branches to hide it, before climbing down from the mesa in the dead of night. Gama’s only source of light was the moonlight out in the desert and his heat-vision meant that although he could detect life-forms of biological origin he could NOT detect Cybertronians…and Cybertronians were the very thing he was looking for. He continues prowling in the darkness, fully alert and scouting out targets; namely, unguarded nests.  
He approaches the woodland he had ventured through a few times, finding a few small groups of mixed Autobots and ex-Decepticon (now Titron) in the daytime, but on a night he realised they all turned in for sleep away from the outdoors and headed back for their corresponding bases. Gama was sure, if not entirely positive, that any nests belonging to either faction would be inside a base and not in the wilderness…but he proved himself wrong.  
In a small clearing he saw signs of earth that had been moved recently, with the soil still being freshly dug; he kneels down and begins scooping through the dirt gently with his fingers, before finally exposing a small clutch of eggs nestled in the poorly hidden nest. He picks one up and examines it, smelling it at first before looking it over with his eye.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Combaticon…recently laid too and not very nutritious…I should put it back.”  
  
 _Gama puts the egg back into the nest and covers it over, returning the nest to its buried state, before moving on deeper into the woods.  
As it got darker, Gama grew more hungry, and right now he was having second thoughts about carrying on to find a more nutritious set of eggs and was beginning to think about returning to the Combaticon nest to raid it instead. But as he continued into the woods, he began to smell something appealing. The smell drove him to move faster, until he was literally sprinting through the woods; as soon as he reached the source of the smell, he stopped and crouched down as low as he could for cover, as the nest he has smelt belonged to a Dinobot…a Dinobot that was sleeping very close to its exposed nest of eggs.  
Gama scouted from his hiding spot first to assess the situation; the parent was a species of Dinobot he’d never seen before, but it appeared to be carnivorous which meant he’d have to execute the egg theft with extreme care. The parent only had its feet and tail section by the nest, leaving it fairly easy to get to for a large Cybertronian.  
Gama reared up, sniffing for any hidden parent, before stalking his way over to the nest; he reaches its side and looks down at the many eggs inside, eyeing each one with interest.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “These eggs will hatch in less than a month…so they’ll be VERY nutritious…one should do just fine.”  
  
 _Gama locks his sight on the slumbering parent as he kneels down, arms slowly working their way down to apprehend an egg; even when Gama had the egg comfortably in his grasp he still maintained his sights on the parent, and lifted out his catch slowly and carefully.  
Once he was certain he’d gotten the egg without being detected, he cautiously backed away and into the woods, keeping the egg close to his chest. He’d only gotten a few feet into the cover of the woods when he heard the distressed cry of the parent, and immediately sprung into panic; rushing as deep into the woods and towards the mesa as fast as possible.  
He couldn’t climb up the mesa with the egg in his hands, and he didn’t want to fly up as it would alert any nearby spies or maybe even the Dinobot parent he’d just stolen from; so he sat down at the mesa’s edge with the egg securely in his grasp, panting with a smirk on his face as he recovered from the sprinting.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “The thrill…the excitement! Primus, how I’ve missed being a thief…”  
  
 _Gama licks the eggshell of his catch to get a taste of what he was about to eat, making sure he could actually stomach it before he’d dare take the life of the youngster inside.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Now I know why I was eyeing that egg in the labs…this outer shell tastes pretty good, so the stuff inside must be amazing…time to stop with the pondering and time to get cracking this open.”  
 _  
Gama slams a fist down onto the egg, but it doesn’t crack or even dent.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “What the…? It’s as hard as steel…oh wait…it is steel…”  
  
 _Gama tries smashing the shell with his fists again, to no avail. He tries smacking a rock against it too, with no result. He places the Egg down between his legs and scratches his head, eyeing the egg for any weak spots.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Not a single dent…what am I doing wrong?”  
  
 _Gama picks the egg up again and taps it with a finger, listening for any tone that might indicate how thick the shell might be.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “This makes no sense…it’s feedback is that the shell is pretty weak like any eggshell…but using brute force hasn’t even dented it….oh…”  
  
 _Gama lifts the egg up and bites it gently, hearing it cracking under the bite. As soon as he realised using regular force caused the shell to crack, he began biting the shell loose and peeling off the excess; revealing the embryo inside, which he was quick to begin devouring.  
Once Gama had his fill of the egg, he turned to begin climbing the mesa wall to reach his own nest, until feeling the forceful slam of a larger Cybertronian rushing into his side; knocking him from the wall and sending him crashing into the ground. Gama shakes off the stun from the charge and looks up, to find the attacker to be the parent of the egg he just ate.  
  
_ Dinobot: (Roaring) “Egg-snatcher!! Prepare to die!!”  
  
 _The Dinobot transforms into dinosaur mode and charges forwards, snapping its jaws at Gama who was quick to move aside from each attempted bite. Gama, however, was a Leader Class and was not going to back down from a fight; he charges for the Dinobot and leaps up onto its back, trying to reach the head so he could attack its eyes, only to find the Dinobot rushing towards the mesa cliff to ram Gama into.  
Gama leaps from the Dinobots back just in time, but panics as the mesa’s edge began to crumble; worrying for the safety of his own nest. Gama prepares to climb the cliff again, only for the Dinobot to land a bite onto his leg and drag him down; stomping a foot firmly onto Gama’s back preventing him from moving.  
  
_ Dinobot: (Snarling) “You ate my young, so now I’ll eat YOU.”  
  
 _The Dinobot roars and prepares to strike down at Gama, only for him to erect the large, pointed spines down his back; stabbing into the foot of the Dinobot, causing it to release him and limp back in pain.  
Gama recovers and begins panting; he turns to face the injured Dinobot, which limps back into the woods with its injured foot. Once it was out of sight, Gama climbed up the mesa to check on his nest, and returned to brooding for the rest of the night.  
The next morning Gama awakened to a nice, clear sunrise and a full belly from his late-night meal. His first task was to head back to the Autobot base for his meeting with Thundercracker about the test results from the day before, which he was hoping to get over and done with quickly.  
But today was not going to be a good start, as when he arrived to the base he was greeted by Thundercracker (who he was expected anyway) but this time Thundercracker didn’t look too happy to see him.  
He was stood in the entrance to the Autobot base, his arms folded, tapping his foot and glaring at Gama as he approached.  
  
_ Gama: (Chuckling) “Morning Thundercracker…sleep well?”  
  
 _Thundercracker scowls and looks away from Gama in disgust, before looking back at him with equal amounts of disgust.  
  
_ Gama: (Nervous) “…what? Did something happen?”  
Thundercracker: (Angry) “Did something happen…damn it Gama; we’ve got a Dinobot in the medical bay with a seriously injured foot.”  
Gama: “…oh…well…accidents happen, right?”  
Thundercracker: (Growling) “The injuries match the spikes on your BACK, Gama.” _  
  
Gama’s eye widens and he steps back in shock.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Angry) “Oh, and another thing…she says the one who injured her foot stole and ate one of her eggs…you wouldn’t happen to have eaten anything within the past twelve hours?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “N-nope…”  
Thundercracker: “Really? Then you won’t object to a quick processor test?”  
  
 _Gama trembles and begins fidgeting with his fingers, looking away from Thundercracker as if he’d just been scolded._  
 _  
_Thundercracker: (Angry) “Now I’m going to ask again; did you eat anything within the past twelve hours?”  
Gama: (Meekly) “Yes.”  
Thundercracker: “Primus…I offered you my own rations, even offered to help you get minerals from the humans…but no, you had to resort to egg-snatching.”  
  
 _Gama lowers his head in shame.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “You do realise what this means, right?”  
  
 _Gama shakes his head.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Angry) “It means you can’t be left alone at night anymore to do as you please; someone will have to be watching you.”  
Gama: (Worried) “B-but…my nest…”  
Thundercracker: “It will likely be Acidstorm, me or Perceptor…but whoever it is, we won’t be enjoying it…none of us is as hardy in the tough weather conditions like you are, so whilst you can sleep through thunder and rain, we can’t.”  
Gama: (Quietly) “…sorry.”  
Thundercracker: (Growling) “Sorry won’t bring back that baby Dinobot or heal that poor mother’s distress either.”  
Gama: “Is there anything I can do to restore everyone’s confidence in me?”  
 _  
Thundercracker stares at Gama, sighing heavily, as if saddened by a thought.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “There is…one thing you could do…”  
Gama: (Nodding) “Tell me and I’ll do it.”  
Thundercracker: “Babysit Crashers Sparklings with him; it was meant to be Bumblebee’s shift to help him out, but since you’ve made this offer I believe you should do it instead.”  
  
 _Gama blinks and tilts his head.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Sounds easy? I’m telling you right now that it isn’t; all six girls are difficult to keep under control, and Scout has started getting into the habit of going off on his own to explore. It’s the main reason why Crasher needs a second male to be around to help keep an eye on them all.”  
Gama: (Curious) “Alright, I’ll do it…so where do I go to meet them?”  
Thundercracker: (Squinting) “Er, you see…you can’t do it today…we need to run a few documents and the like to clear up this mess with the Dinobot. You’ll need to come back tomorrow.” _  
  
Gama folds his arms and pouts.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Well what can I do until tomorrow then? I don’t plan on brooding eggs until this afternoon.”  
Thundercracker: “You can’t just stroll off to do what you want today either; I need to keep an eye on you until this paperwork is over and done with…so you need to stick around me whilst I carry out my tasks for the day.”  
  
 _Gama groans and mutters to himself, following Thundercracker inside the base.  
The day consisted of Thundercracker performing a medical check on Gama with Acidstorm, followed by him going to visit Megatron, then the injured Dinobot (without Gama being there, for safety reasons) until the final list on the days agenda; a meeting with Rodimus Prime.  
Thundercracker takes a seat opposite Rodimus Prime beside the long meeting table that both Autobot and Titron councils would be gathered around for debates, shuffling through paperwork whilst Rodimus remained seated in silence tapping his finger on the table and eyeing Gama wearily; Gama remained stood up beside Thundercracker, until Rodimus finally gestured Gama to take a seat.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Stern) “Alright Thundercracker…let’s hear your excuse.”  
Thundercracker: “This act of egg-snatching was to replenish Gama’s poorly maintained mineral levels. In all honesty, Rodimus, Gama would never have snatched any eggs if you had allowed him access to minerals.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Oh, so this is MY fault then?”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “I’m not pointing the finger at you for all of this mess, just over the fact you wouldn’t let Gama have any minerals at all. It’s my fault that he was even able to snatch an egg, since I tried to guarantee him privacy at night. So in actual fact, all three of us are to blame for this case and we should all take some form of responsibility.”  
 _  
Rodimus slams his hands onto the table and stands up, before pointing at Gama in rage.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Angry) “He’s the one with the Dinobot embryo in his belly! Neither of us is to blame for THAT; so the only one who should be punished is him!”  
Thundercracker: “Ease your tone, Rodimus. Your father wouldn’t have approved of that outburst.”  
  
 _Rodimus mutters to himself and sits back in his seat.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Stern) “I’m willing to rectify this problem with a few adjustments to our research, making it possible for Gama to remain outside at night by himself and for us to still be able to monitor his activity. We already have a tracking device on him to see where he is going, but right now we can’t tell what he is doing…so I’m filing a request to have a camera installed onto the tracking device.”  
Gama: (Whining) “You can’t do that! It’s a violation of my privacy!”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “Hold your tongue, Gama.”  
  
 _Gama bears his fangs at Rodimus who maintains his cold and almost suspecting glare back.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Stern) “Request approved; have the camera installed as soon as possible.”  
Thundercracker: “I also have a second request for our study of Gama.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “You request too much regarding Gama, Thundercracker. I’m starting to suspect you don’t just watch him sleeping or prowling up on that mesa…”  
Thundercracker: (Growling) “Whatever gave you that idea?”  
Rodimus: “The fact you don’t allow any of my Autobots, except Perceptor, anywhere near that mesa. Now be honest with me about this Thundercracker; is Gama hiding something up there?”  
  
 _Gama looks to Thundercracker with worry, catching Rodimus’ interest as Thundercracker remained seated with the same unreadable expression.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “He is hiding something, but it’s nothing to be concerned about.”  
Rodimus: (Stern) “Then there’s no harm telling me what it is.”  
Thundercracker: “If I told you, you’d disturb what is up there and that would ruin our research.”  
Rodimus: (Curious) “Disturb? You mean something alive is up there?”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Don’t jump to conclusions; disturb could mean anything.”  
Rodimus: (Suspecting) “He goes there on a schedule every day, which means he’s tending to something that’s either alive or needs frequent maintenance. And to my optics he doesn’t seem to be the artistic type to sculpt anything.”  
  
 _Gama growls and begins to show restlessness.  
_  
Thundercracker: “Might I first file my second request, before we continue discussing this?”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Trying to change the subject now, are you? I’m not buying it.”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “I want you to come with me to see why we’re so interested in studying Gama.”  
Gama: (Shocked) “Thundercracker!!”  
Thundercracker: “Sorry, Gama…” _  
  
Rodimus ponders for a minute, turning in his chair as he thinks, before returning to look back at Thundercracker.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Nodding) “Request approved. I’ll take a look at what you’ve been studying.”  
Thundercracker: “You need to agree to the terms of study before you come with us, Rodimus. You must not touch the specimens, you must not do anything to incite Gama to attack and if Gama feels uncomfortable with how close you get to the specimens, you must stand back and grant him the space he deems secure.”  
Rodimus: (Nodding) “Understood, now can we go?” _  
  
Thundercracker nods and stands up, tidying up the paperwork and leaving it on the table. Gama’s eye widens in a panic as Thundercracker begins leading Rodimus out of the conference room, following the duo franticly pleading with Thundercracker to reconsider, but Thundercracker remained vigilant in showing Rodimus the nest to stop the suspicion he had over the research group.  
The trio reached the mesa Gama had set his nest upon, and the first one to reach the top was Gama himself; he immediately scooped more sand over his eggs and climbed over the nest, obstructing Rodimus view when he and Thundercracker reached the top.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “…well? Where is it?”  
Thundercracker: “Gama’s reluctant to let anyone, especially you, see what it is that he is hiding.”  
Rodimus: (Muttering) “Making him even more suspicious.”  
Thundercracker: “Come on Gama, let him see.”

 _Gama scoops more sand against his sides, to try and hide the nest even more.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Gama, don’t make me lift you up.”  
Gama: (Growling) “I won’t let him see…he must never see…”  
Rodimus: (Whining) “Oh come on… Thundercracker, if he refuses to show me what he is hiding, I’ll remove that little ‘protection’ you had put onto him and have him thrown into a cell with his father, to receive the same treatment he got.”  
 _  
Gama cringes as Thundercracker looked down at him, flashing a look of sympathy down at the protective young parent.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Sighing) “Sorry Gama.”  
  
 _Thundercracker moves towards Gama, preparing to haul him up only for Gama to erect the spikes down his back, preventing Thundercracker from touching him. Gama snarls and bears his teeth at Rodimus as he begins circling Gama, trying to get even a glance at what he was trying to hide.  
Thundercracker was quick to see a flaw in Gama’s spike-protection system, and grasped onto the largest spikes before pulling back; forcing Gama up from his nest.  
Rodimus looks at the mound of sand and branches Gama had been lying over but saw nothing else.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “It looks like a normal dirt-bed to me.”  
Thundercracker: “Grab a branch from a tree and gently brush at it, it’ll show you what is underneath the sand.”  
Rodimus: (Curious) “Why can’t I just use my hands?”  
  
 _Gama roars in rage, but Thundercracker is able to keep him back by holding onto his spikes.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Stern) “Not an option; the specimens need to remain untouched by our hands.”  
  
 _Rodimus nods reluctantly, and grabs a branch from a nearby dead tree before using it to begin excavating the nest. After a few brushes in the sand, Rodimus catches sight of the first egg and stares down at it in awe.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Shocked) “…a nest?”  
Thundercracker: “That’s right.”  
Rodimus: (Stern) “This is what you’ve been studying? Brooding behaviour?”  
Thundercracker: (Nodding) “Again, yes.”  
Rodimus: “Didn’t you see the danger…in letting this go ahead?”  
Thundercracker: (Confused) “Excuse me?”  
Rodimus: (Stern) “I’m a Leader Class too, and from past experiences with Decepticon variations of my breed I can safely tell you that allowing Gama to brood and raise any young at all is a very bad idea.”  
Thundercracker: “I’m not sure I follow, Rodimus.”  
Rodimus: (Lecturing) “If Gama gets a male out of these eggs, his power will increase in order to protect that youngster; his heir becomes the single most important thing to him besides himself, and we both know already that Gama is stronger than Megatron ever was…so when he gets a son, he’ll become a problem that not even we could handle.”  
Thundercracker: “Meaning?”  
Rodimus: (Stern) “The nest needs to be destroyed.”  
  
 _Gama roars louder and yanks himself free from Thundercracker, before lashing out at Rodimus and covering his nest with his body again.  
  
_ Gama: (Shouting) “Over my dead body!”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “That can still be arranged.”  
Thundercracker: (Sighing) “Rodimus…please…just leave him and his nest alone.”  
  
 _Rodimus mutters loudly to himself in Autobot.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “We let you see what we were studying, and you agreed to the terms of study so you can’t touch or disturb this nest no matter how much you want to. The laws of Cybertronian Science come before the beliefs of your breed.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “You’re digging a big pit by allowing this, Thundercracker. If Sixshot was still alive we’d have a serious problem on our hands…but thankfully he’s dead, so it’s just a potentially nasty problem instead.”  
Thundercracker: (Confused) “Why would Sixshot make this into something serious, exactly? Just out of curiosity…”  
Rodimus: “Gama would have competition, and would need to have even more intelligence and senses boosts to combat Sixshot. He’d go from being just a threat to being an unstoppable monster.”  
  
 _Gama flinches and pretends not to listen.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “A monster you say?”  
Rodimus: “That’s right, and it wouldn’t be a pretty sight either…you thought Galvatron was scary? Pfft…Gama in that state would be a living nightmare.”  
  
 _Thundercracker whips out a clipboard and begins making notes.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “I’ll agree to your terms…reluctantly…the nest can stay since it poses no threat right now, but if we start to get problems arising from it, I will break the terms of study and come to destroy it. Understand?”  
Thundercracker: (Distracted) “Uh-huh…sure…”  
  
 _Rodimus curses loudly in Autobot, before forcing himself past Thundercracker and Gama, and back down the mesa’s edge. Gama remains on the floor, almost clinging to his eggs as Thundercracker finishes his writing.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Chuckling) “That actually went pretty well.”  
Gama: (Whimpering) “He’ll kill them…I can’t leave the nest ever again…”  
Thundercracker: “Relax, Rodimus isn’t like the Decepticon variation of your breed; he’ll only want to kill them if they pose a threat, and he even said that right now they don’t…”  
Gama: (Quietly) “I still feel uneasy about it…”  
Thundercracker: “Look, if it will make you feel better we’ll install a camera up here to keep an eye on the nest when you’re not around. How does that sound?”  
  
 _Gama adjusts himself on the nest and thinks quietly, before nodding to Thundercracker.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Alright, I’ll have one set up tonight after we get that other one installed by your tracking device. Now come on, up you get.”  
  
 _Thundercracker helps Gama up and leads him back to the base for the cameras, continuously trying to reassure Gama that Rodimus wouldn’t harm the nest.  
The next day Gama, being aware of where his five stolen eggs had been taken to, decided to venture over to the labs to see how the Autobots were treating his unborn. He stands, looking through the glass window at the nest as it laid unguarded and sighing, placing a hand onto the glass and stroking it. Moments after his arrival, Shockwave returned to the room from the back door and lay beside the nest without even taking notice of Gama looking through the window; Gama slams his other hand against the glass in excitement, panting and fogging the glass as he watched Shockwave, but all his mate did was lie there and ignore any noise he heard.  
Once Gama was certain Shockwave wasn’t going to turn around, and that his five eggs were safe with him, he returned to playing along with the Autobots and their jobs; from repair work to even being around the younger Autobots and their shenanigans, all the way to helping Crasher babysit his Sparklings…which was exactly what Gama had to do today, as he promised Thundercracker after that incident with the Dinobot egg the day before; Crasher was sat outside the Autobot base with his Sparklings, dangling string in front of them and watching them all trying to grab it.  
Gama sits beside Crasher reluctantly, refusing to look at him, with Crasher easily ignoring him as his Sparklings were distracting enough.  
  
_ Kitty: (Whining) “Daddy! Stop pulling the string away!”  
Crasher: (Smirking) “This exercise wouldn’t be an ‘exercise’ without me doing it, now then keep trying.”  
 _  
Scout stops trying and lightly kicks his father’s leg in annoyance.  
  
_ Crasher: (Stern) “Scout.”  
Scout: (Pouting) “It’s not fair; whenever we get close you pull it away! We’re little you know!”  
Crasher: “That’s the point; it’s the target you just can’t reach.”  
  
 _The Sparklings all stop trying and whine at their father in protest.  
  
_ Phoenix: (Annoyed) “Daddy what’s the point in doing it if we can’t ever get it?”  
Scout: (Nodding) “Yeah! What’s the point in trying?! I’m not doing it anymore!”  
Mercedes: (Shouting) “Me neither!!”  
Crasher: (Lecturing) “Just because you can’t reach it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Trial and error helps you to learn…so look at it this way; any goal is reachable, achievable, but you need to try to begin with and to learn from your mistakes.”  
  
 _The Sparklings all whine and reluctantly begin the exercise again, with Crasher chuckling as they struggled. Gama glares coldly at him, leaning forwards to watch and time the moment Crasher lifted the string; then, when he’d learnt the pattern, Gama snatched it out of Crashers hands and tossed it down to the Sparklings, who all look up at Gama in awe.  
  
_ Coco: (Awed) “Wow Uncle Gama; you sure move fast!”  
Gama: (Stern) “I need to.”  
Kitty: “When I grow up, I’m gonna be as fast as you are Uncle Gama!”  
Gama: “Don’t count on it; I need it to survive, you don’t.”  
Crasher: (Whining) “Just shut up, Gama.”  
Gama: (Pointing) “What’s your problem? I thought you---”  
Crasher: (Annoyed) “You ruined the point of the exercise, is what.”  
Gama: “Oh really? It looked like you were just teasing them to me.”   
Crasher: (Growling) “We’re not arguing in front of them; save this discussion for later.”  
  
 _Gama snorts and stands up to move away, when the Sparklings cling to his legs and begin climbing all over them.  
  
_ Phoenix: (Giggling) “You’re pointy, Uncle Gama…why are you pointy?”  
  
 _Gama raises a brow in confusion.  
  
_ Coco: (Cheerful) “He has spikes on his back like a hedgehog! Do you turn into a hedgehog Uncle Gama?”  
Gama: (Confused) “Er…no…I don’t turn into anything anymore.”  
Crasher: (Pointing) “He decided to favour protection in the spikes and certain…other things…instead of transformation.”  
Scout: (Calling) “I want both! Spikes and my plane! I’ll be so strong!”  
Crasher: “You can’t have both; it’s one of the laws of nature.”  
Mercedes: (Sweetly) “Daddy, why did Uncle Gama not want to transform anymore?”  
Crasher: (Annoyed) “Ask him.”  
Mercedes: “Why, Uncle Gama? Didn’t you like transforming?”  
Gama: “I just…didn’t need it.”  
Coco: (Confused) “But then you can’t be called a transformer anymore…what do the humans call you Uncle Gama?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “You don’t want to know what they call me. And you don’t have to transform into anything to be a Cybertronian.”  
Crasher: (Pointing) “No, but it’s strange. I remember all the different alt-modes you went through before deciding to just…drop the whole thing.”  
Gama: (Stern) “The gun was unpractical, the tank was too slow, the helicopter was too weak.”  
Scout: (Curious) “What about Sixshot? He has six transformations dad!”  
Crasher: (Panicked) “Shhh! Scout! That is supposed to be a secret!”  
  
 _Gama raises his brows in interest as he watches Scout slap his hands across his mouth, with Crasher carefully turning to see how Gama had reacted.  
  
_ Gama: (Coldly) “Sixshot is dead, Scout. You’re mistaken.”  
  
 _Crasher sighs with relief, with Gama eyeing him now.  
  
_ Scout: (Annoyed) “I’m never wrong!”  
Crasher: “You just were, Scout. Now hush.”  
  
 _Crasher turns to look at Gama again, with both of their lines of sight meeting thereby forcing them to look away from each other._

Crasher: (Growling) “Don’t look at me, especially with that look in your optic, Gama.”  
Gama: (Stern) “If you think I feel anything for you these days then you’re wrong; my Spark belongs to someone else.”  
Crasher: (Annoyed) “Went to someone who could give you Sparklings, hmm? I guess when you get them you’ll just…brush her off like you did with me.”  
Scout: “Dad, how are Sparklings made?”  
  
 _Crasher rears up in shock, blinking at his son and daughters as they gathered around him._  
  
Crasher: (Blushing) “Er…I think you’re not ready to know about that.”  
  
 _That Sparklings all whine in protest.  
  
_ Gama: (Groaning) “Just tell them; my father told me when I was their age.”  
Crasher: (Muttering) “That’s because he was insensitive.”  
  
 _Gama rears up and faces Crasher, roaring at him, which startles the Sparklings; they don’t cry, but gasp in shock before giggling and laughing._  
  
Phoenix: (Excited) “Oh! Do that again Uncle Gama! Do the roar again!”  
Gama: (Quietly) “I don’t think that’s a good idea…”  
Mercedes: (Whining) “Why not? It’s cool!”  
Gama: (Muttering) “It really takes it out of me…”  
Crasher: (Annoyed) “No it doesn’t, it’s just you don’t want Rodimus to rush out here thinking you’re picking a fight.”  
Gama: “…and that.”  
  
 _Scout bangs his chest and rears up, to look bigger._  
  
Scout: (Shouting) “I can roar as loud as you, Uncle Gama! Watch me!”  
Crasher: (Chuckling) “Oh, this is adorable.”  
  
 _Gama raises a brow in confusion and watches Scout as he takes in a heave of air, before letting out the most pathetic little roar. Crasher claps in approval, but Gama just remains blinking down at Scout, not amused._  
  
Crasher: (Cheering) “Way to go Scout! He didn’t roar back!”  
Scout: (Excited) “Does that mean I’m as strong as you are, dad?”  
Crasher: “Well…I wouldn’t say that…but you scared him so much he backed down from your challenge! Way to go!”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I didn’t roar back because he’s just a Sparkling, he shouldn’t be put through that treatment.”  
Crasher: (Growling) “Shut up, I’m trying to motivate him.”  
Scout: “Dad, you need to tell us how Sparklings are made.”  
Coco: (Pouting) “I bet he won’t tell us because it’s too hard to explain!”  
Crasher: (Blushing) “Um…look…its easy…but uh…”  
Gama: (Sighing) “Just tell them, whilst we’re still young.”  
  
 _Crasher mutters to himself and stands up, looking to his Sparklings._  
  
Crasher: (Stern) “Alright…first you put your thingie in her thingie…”  
  
 _Crasher thrusts back and forth._  
  
Crasher: “…then move like this and then babies come out. LESSON FINISHED."  
Gama: (Sarcasm) “…very informative, Crasher.”  
Crasher: (Annoyed) “Fine, you tell them then Mr. Informative.”  
Scout: (Excited) “This’ll be good! I can tell!”  
  
 _The Sparklings gather around Gama’s feet and look up in anticipation; he quickly switches from the confident know-it-all into a nervous wreck._  
  
Gama: (Nervous) “Well um…you see…uh…”  
Crasher: (Chuckling) “Can’t tell them? I was expecting better.”  
  
 _Gama snarls and bears his fangs, growling at Crasher, which causes the Sparklings to cheer in excitement the more threatening Gama’s displays became towards their father._  
  
Crasher: (Nervous) “Rule number one! Rule number one!!”  
  
 _Gama stops the threatening displays and relaxes, before returning to the Sparklings._  
  
Gama: (Lecturing) “Alright, here we go…first you have a boy and he has a hose and ball-bearings. Then you get a girl who has a port. You put them in a room and you roofee one of them and then they plug in like a plug and socket, move about a bit, and then a few months later the girl has the Sparklings.”  
  
 _The Sparklings blink, slightly confused.  
  
_ Gama: “…what? Was that too confusing?”  
Scout: (Confused) “How do the Sparklings get to the mommy?”  
Gama: (Blushing) “The boy puts the right ingredients inside of her, to make them.”  
Phoenix: (Excited) “So it’s like baking a cake?”  
Crasher: (Chuckling) “Oh this will be good.”  
Gama: “Well…there’s only two ingredients needed to make Sparklings with; one is inside the boy and one is inside the girl and they need to plug together, were the boy can give the girl his ingredients. It takes many months for the Sparklings to grow in the girl, then she err…how do I put it…you know about Earth Chickens, right?”  
  
 _The Sparklings all nod their heads in excitement.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “Some girls lay eggs like chickens, and those eggs hatch into Sparklings.”  
Scout: (Curious) “Can you eat them?”  
Gama: (Stern) “No.”  
Crasher: “Actually you can, but you shouldn’t…remember what happened to the ones that came into our home?”  
Phoenix: (Whimpering) “You mean our cousins?”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens in shock, and he looks up to Crasher flashing an almost awe-struck expression. Crasher looks up to him, and looks away again as if ashamed.  
  
_ Gama: (Shocked) “…our…they…they’re all gone?”  
Crasher: (Quietly) “Kids, can you go inside for a moment? Me and Uncle Gama need to talk alone.”  
  
 _The Sparklings all nod and do as instructed, with Crasher sitting down again to look at his feet. Gama remains stood up, holding back the urge to cry very well.  
  
_ Crasher: “…Thundercracker brought them all over to Sandy and me, saying they needed to be raised by someone who could look after likely weaker-than-average Sparklings…the inbreeding had indeed weakened them, but it didn’t stop Sandy from brooding them and taking care of them.”  
  
 _Crasher sighs heavily.  
  
_ Crasher: (Quietly) “Then one night, whilst we slept, some humans broke into our den and took five of them…it was then that we became aware of the Black Market issues in this sector of space.”  
Gama: (Frantic) “And the others? What happened to them?”  
Crasher: “…Terracons snuck in and ate them, whilst we all tried to find the thieves.”  
  
 _Gama slaps his hands across his mouth, holding back a scream of fright.  
  
_ Crasher: (Sadly) “We captured the Terracons and locked them up, but it was already too late…I was lucky they don’t have a taste for several years old Sparklings, otherwise I’d have lost Scout and his sisters that night too…”  
 _  
Gama turns away from Crasher, resisting the urge to cry, and was instead twitching from anger.  
  
_ Crasher: “Don’t let it hold onto you, Gama; think about your future instead.”  
 _  
Crasher gets up and turns around, slowly departing to the inside of the Autobot base.  
  
_ Crasher: (VO) “You can go now to clear your thoughts, but you need to be back here at seven tonight for a meeting.”  
  
 _Gama keeps his back turned and looks over his shoulder, watching as Crasher left, before rushing off into the desert once he was certain he had gone.  
  
_


	15. Parenthood -Part 1-

_A short run away and Gama had reached the mesa his nest was hidden on top of, and he stopped to think about what happened to his last brood of eggs, only to shake off the thoughts as he remembered clinging to the past never helped heal his wounds before.  
  
_ Gama: (Whispering) “…I just go and clean them up again, top up their Energon, lay on them for an hour or two and leave…just like the other times…those two idiots can’t possibly watch me twenty four seven…ah wait, the camera…yes they can.”  
  
 _Gama shakes his head, before widening his eye in shock as he mentally ‘hears’ eggshells cracking.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “…did I just hear an egg breaking?”  
  
 _Without thinking if what he heard was real or not, Gama leapt onto the cliff face and began climbing up to the top where his nest was located; panic on his face as he feared the worst. The instant he made it to the top he beard his fangs and roared at the imaginary attacker of his infants, only to find nobody around. He groans, rolling his eye in annoyance as he climbs up to the nest and begins uncovering his eggs from the dirt mound he buried them under and immediately begins counting them.  
Once he was certain none were missing, he picked each egg up one by one and gently brushed off the dust covering them, licking them with his tongue to ensure they were totally clean, before spitting out some freshly made Energon onto each egg to restore the healthy glow to every individual and setting them back in the nest.  
  
_ Gama: (Pondering) “Either my Energon has become insanely rich, or Shockwave has very strong RNA…because these eggs should hatch within a few weeks, which is nearly two months faster than normal.” _  
  
Gama sighs and smiles at his nest before climbing on top of it, his arms and legs neatly tucked underneath him to ensure his weight was not entirely on his offspring. He sighs again and adjusts himself, slowly closing his eye to take a nap, when suddenly he felt something move underneath him and the ‘cracking’ sounds return only this time they were much louder. In fear of accidently crushing his eggs, Gama lifts his body and looks under himself and at his brood, but sees nothing indicating a breakage; he lies back onto his eggs and gets comfortable again, before groaning as he heard the cracking once more.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Oh please, is someone mocking me here?”  
  
 _Gama scoots his vision around himself franticly seeking out the cause of the sounds but sees nothing, and after one loud crack he heard a new noise; chirping, a crying kind.  
His eye widens in shock and he lifts himself up again, but this time fully climbs off the nest, to see one of his eggs had just hatched and the newborn was crying as it tried to crawl over the mounds of other stirring eggs; Gama, being intrigued by the youngster, slowly lowered himself to stare at it without making a sound. The youngster began to chirp rhythmically, as if calling instead of simply crying, and Gama steadily reached over to take the youngster in his left hand before pulling back as he heard a noise from behind him.  
He turns to look what caused the noise, to find it was simply a bird of prey causing stones to fall from the cliff edge as it took to the skies, immediately turning back to the youngster and quickly (but gently) taking it up in his left hand. The youngster goes limp and chirps quietly, like a newborn kitten to its mother, as Gama lies down to the level of the nest and slowly begins licking off the Eggs Energon-Jelly coating his newborn; the child moved its limbs as it was cleaned, making Gama’s job far easier, and chirped cheerfully once it became accustomed to its mothers touch.  
Whilst Gama cleaned his first infant, more began to hatch from the eggs and before he knew it he was being bombarded by their chirps for him to clean them; a few good licks clears each infant up nicely, but he had to do them all one by one, and there were eighteen to do.   
Once he’d cleaned them Gama set them back into the nest and watched them stumbling about chirping to one another. He purrs lovingly as he watches them all, taking note of which ones had already opened their eyes and which had yet to do so, as he instinctively began searching for the strongest male in the group.  
Suddenly Gama’s calm and loving scouting was interrupted by cries from them all, and these cries where shrill and very forced; so forced that Gama had to slap his hands over his ears to sooth his pain, but this would only temporarily solve the problem. He knew the Hatchlings wanted something but he didn’t know what, and sighing in defeat he throws himself onto his side groaning; slapping a hand across his face.  
  
_ Gama: (Groaning) “Primus, what do I do now?” _  
  
Gama sighs again before twitching as he felt his young begin to swarm his chest, and raised his hand to stare in awe at what they were trying to do. Each youngster was pushing itself forward, with the ones with their eyes already open proving more dominant in keeping at the front of the lines, and those who were close enough began weakly clawing at Gama’s chest and abdomen. Gama blinks in disbelief as he watches his youngsters begin licking at his abdomen and attempting to suckle, causing him to blush as he realised why they all had started crying.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “…fuck.” _  
  
He hums to himself and pushes the youngsters away from him, causing them to cry again.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “I can’t feed you like that…I don’t have milking sacks…”  
  
 _Suddenly the young rush to his abdomen again and try suckling, causing Gama to face palm and groan in annoyance._

Gama: (Growling) “Look, I’ll open it up and you won’t find…”  
  
 _Gama opens up his abdomen spot, and six Energon sacks droop out.  
  
_ Gama: (Shocked) “…milking sacks?! What the?!”  
 _  
The young immediately latch onto the sacks and begin feeding, with them pulling one another from the six teats to fight over the Energon. Gama whines and slams his head onto the ground.  
  
_ Gama: (Whining) “First a port…then Sparklings…now I’m milking Energon…I don’t want to be female.”  
  
 _Gama growls and lashes himself about as the young violently begin fighting over the teats, causing them to all huddle together and whimper in the corner of the nest. Once they were certain their mother had calmed down, they returned to feeding; with the ‘blind’ young still huddled in the corner whilst the seven youngsters with open eyes fed. Gama growls again as he felt uncomfortable feeding his young this way, refusing to look at them. A short while into the feeding however, Gama relaxed as he felt some of the youngsters begin kneading the Energon sacks, encouraging him to continue feeding them.  
Once the currently feeding youngsters had their fill and released their mother, Gama closed his abdomen before noticing the ‘blind’ youngsters chirping weakly in the corner, having not been fed.  
He sighs heavily and mutters to himself in Cybertronian, crawling over to the blind youngsters and lying close beside them; opening his abdomen again and placing each one close to his teats until they latched on and began feeding.  
  
_ Gama: (Whispering) “They’re weak…I shouldn’t be feeding them…”  
  
 _Gama looks down at the youngsters softly, sighing and looking over to the horizon.  
  
_ Gama: (Sighing) “Someone has to feed them though…I guess.” _  
  
Gama removes youngsters that had fed enough to his liking, before allowing unfed individuals to latch on and obtain some Energon themselves; he stretches in place as he became overly relaxed in the feeding process, purring softly as he watched his infants play or feed, before taking a look at his timer on his wrist.  
  
_ Gama: (Shocked) “Ten past Seven, ALREADY?! Fuck! I’m ten minutes late!”  
  
 _Gama gets up, causing currently feeding young to drop from their mother and back into the nest, crying from the fall. Gama closes his abdomen again and sighs as he looks back down at the nest and then over his shoulder to the horizon, before looking back to the nest again.  
  
_ Gama: (Whining) “I can’t just leave you all here…but I have to keep up the trust with the Autobots too…”  
  
 _The infants with their eyes open stare up at their large mother in awe, as he begins pacing back and forth.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “If I leave them, they could fall out the nest and down the cliff…or a human could get into it and abduct one of them…or an Autobot might see them…”  
  
 _Gama approaches the nest again and kneels down to it, before digging in the centre of it to make it a bit deeper and nudging the youngsters into the deeper spot.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “Right that should stop you climbing out and falling, and any humans from thinking of going in there…now how to hide you better?”  
  
 _Gama looks around himself for anything that might give him an idea of how to better disguise the nest, when he sees a large dead bush stuck between two rocks. He hums to himself before grabbing it and placing it over the top of the nest, but it does not fully hide his youngsters.  
He rushes to another few dead bushes and rips them up also, sticking them alongside the first bush, before stepping back and nodding in approval as he could not see the youngsters clearly underneath the bushes.  
  
_ Gama: “That’ll do for now, I should try to come back in a few hours to check on you.” _  
  
Gama stretches and climbs down the mesa’s edge, before rushing to the Autobot base for the meeting.  
He arrives, being twenty minutes late, finding Thundercracker stood at the entrance.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Did something happen? You’re late…”  
Gama: (Panting) “Uh…it’s…nothing…”  
Thundercracker: “Usually laying on your eggs doesn’t make you this late, so tell me the truth; did something happen?”  
 _  
Gama continues panting, regaining his breath and composure slowly, before looking up at Thundercracker boldly.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “They hatched.”  
Thundercracker: (Shocked) “What?! But t-that’s nearly two months EARLY.”  
Gama: “I know…I was worried at first, but they all seem healthy…seven even have their eyes open already.”  
Thundercracker: (Awed) “That’s incredible! I’ll have Acidstorm keep an eye on them with the camera, just to make sure they’re safe for you whilst we’re in the meeting!”  
Gama: (Nervous) “T-thanks…I guess.”  
Thundercracker: “Primus…this is amazing…I thought today was just going to be one mass of bad news, but this has put my Spark right back up again.”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself as he and Thundercracker head towards the main conference room for the meeting, with the room being totally full to the brim with Titrons and Autobots that some individuals even had to attend stood up or sat on the floor.  
Rodimus had already begun the meeting when Gama and Thundercracker arrived, but he had started an argument between himself and the Titron Head of Biological Sciences, which resulted in the entire room being in an uproar of noise. The debating was so intense that nobody took notice of Thundercracker and Gama’s arrival.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Shouting) “ORDER! ORDER!”  
  
 _The debating quietens down the more angry Ultra Magnus began to sound, until it all eventually stopped. Ultra Magnus crouches down to whisper to Rodimus, with the room slowly entering high noise levels again.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Stern) “Anyone who causes further disruptions will be ejected from the room! Please be quiet!”  
Rodimus: (Nodding) “Thanks Ultra Magnus…now then, I trust you and the Head of Biological Sciences have come to an agreement, Starscream?”  
  
 _Starscream stands from his seat and shakes his head.  
  
_ Starscream: “No, we have not. The Titron Council still acknowledges Sixshot as dead, and therefore see Gama as no real danger.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Primus…Solarflare, are you making up excuses to protect him? We have information that…”  
  
 _Solarflare slams a fist onto the table, forcing himself up and out of his seat.  
  
_ Solarflare: (Furious) “Nonsense! Pure conjecture! I will not tolerate this pointless slander!!”  
Random Titron: (Nodding) “Slander indeed, Sixshot is DEAD. Thundercracker even brought you the remains of his jaw to prove he’d been blasted to bits.”  
Springer: (Pointing) “For all we know, Thundercracker could have forged that piece of evidence! He use to be very good at doing that!”  
  
 _The room enters heated debate, with Ultra Magnus hammering the gavel to stop the noise.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Shouting) “ORDER! ORDER!”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “In all due respect, I understand your concerns of possible ‘forged evidence’ regarding Sixshot, but I can safely tell you he is dead and has been dead for a few years now.”  
Rodimus: “Fragments of his jaw aren’t good enough…I’m sure you still have the rest of his body to show me, because until I see further proof that he is dead I will remain with my suspicions.”  
Thundercracker: (Bowing) “Of course, Rodimus Prime. We do have other remains from him, but there isn’t enough to exactly show you a ‘whole body’. Solarflare was careful enough to incinerate as much of him as possible.”  
Rodimus: (Pointing) “But what if she failed to perform the incineration to full effect? She must have failed to do it correctly if you still had remains of his body to begin with!”  
Starscream: (Angry) “Are you claiming Solarflare didn’t finish the job?!”  
Rodimus: “No, I’m claiming she never even DID the job. I think Sixshot is still in one piece, and most important of all, ALIVE.”  
  
 _The room enters masses of noise again, with Ultra Magnus quieting them down with the hammering of the gavel again.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Stern) “Until you can provide solid evidence that Sixshot is dead, then Gama will not be permitted to leave the base.”  
Gama: (Shouting) “You can’t do that!”  
  
 _The room enters noise again, but even Magnus cannot quieten everyone down this time.  
  
_ Crasher: (Shouting) “ENOUGH, YOU FUCKING IDIOTS!”  
  
 _Everyone falls silent.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Thank you Crasher…though your language is STILL not appreciated.”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “Gama needs to still leave this base…it’s very important he does, actually.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Oh really? And you have proof that Sixshot is dead, or that Gama seriously needs to leave?”  
Thundercracker: “I…can’t say it out loud.”  
  
 _Rodimus face-palms and waves Thundercracker over to him, whereby Thundercracker whispers the information to him.  
  
_ Rodimus: “…oh…I see.”  
Thundercracker: (Nodding) “So he needs to leave, and if possible; never come back.”  
  
 _The room begins to get loud with debate again, only for Crasher to roar pathetically to shut everyone up. Rodimus Prime stands up from his seat, his eyes closed in deep thought.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Sighing) “Okay…here’s the drill; Gama must return to the mesa, and is not permitted on Autobot premises anymore.”  
  
 _Some noise starts up, but it’s minor background debate.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Second; the Titron base is going to be inspected by Autobot officials, for evidence of Sixshot.”  
  
 _The room enters masses of noise again, for Ultra Magnus to slam the gavel to quieten.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Nodding) “Thundercracker, if it turns out you’ve been lying to us about Sixshot then you’ll be prosecuted for high treason and sent into exile.”  
  
 _Thundercracker remains silent, even as Rodimus hammers his own gavel thereby ending the meeting.  
  
_ Rodimus: “This meeting is over, return to your duties.”  
  
 _Everyone gets up and begins leaving the room, still causing lots of noise, leaving behind Rodimus, Thundercracker and Gama. Rodimus turns his chair away, his fingers pressed together close to his chin as he sits in deep thought, totally silent.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Quietly) “…will the others hatch inside the labs?”  
Thundercracker: (Shrugging) “It depends on if Shockwave has been a good brooder, and has been regulating the eggs temperature and Energon levels.”  
Rodimus: “I see…”  
  
 _Rodimus turns the seat back to face the duo.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Pointing) “Gama, you can go and see Shockwave one more time…then you’re being exiled, denied from setting foot on Autobot property again, understand?”  
  
 _Gama nods reluctantly.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Curious) “No protest? Nothing?”  
Gama: (Sighing) “Not much point…I have no backup like you do, and this is your territory, not mine.”  
Rodimus: “And what would you do if I expanded my ‘territory’ to that mesa of yours?”  
  
 _Gama remains silent.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Please, Rodimus…”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “You keep quiet, I asked him a question; not you.”  
  
 _Thundercracker growls and snorts at Rodimus.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Now Gama; answer my question.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “…I’d have to relocate…or abandon the nest.”  
  
 _Rodimus chuckles and moves back, relaxing in his seat.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Slyly) “How many of them do you think you could carry?”  
Gama: (Nervous) “I…I’d rather not think about moving…”  
Thundercracker: (Angry) “Rodimus, if you’re intending on increasing the Autobot perimeter to that mesa--!!”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “---you’ll accept it or find yourself in some serious trouble, Thundercracker. The suspicions surrounding you covering-up Sixshot’s alleged death, keeping this important fragment of research on Gama under wraps, and rumours of even having a hand in the Black Market? Things aren’t looking good for you Thundercracker, so you’d be wise to stand back and shut the hell up.”  
  
 _Thundercracker lowers his head, growling deeply.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Now Gama; answer me.”  
Gama: “I…I…”  
Thundercracker: (Muttering) “You don’t have to answer him; we’re going.”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “Didn’t I just warn you not to interfere?!”  
  
 _Thundercracker bears his teeth at Rodimus and roars, with Rodimus standing from his seat to return the same gesture.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Shouting) “Get out of here Thundercracker! That’s an ORDER.”  
Thundercracker: (Angry) “Since when did the Autobots take control of the Titrons?! We’re both supposed to be responsible leaders, but you’re abusing your power!”  
Rodimus: (Furious) “Abusing my power?! I’m not the one covering up red tape left, right and centre!”  
Thundercracker: (Hissing) “I’m not the one torturing helpless Decepticons by issuing them surgeries that they don’t need!”  
  
 _Rodimus moves around the table towards Thundercracker and the two begin lashing out at one another roaring and snarling. Gama pushes himself between the two and breaks up the fight.  
  
_ Gama: (Angry) “Look at you two! You’re behaving like the OLD Decepticon and Autobot Leaders before the damn war started!”  
  
 _Gama makes sure to keep between the two Leaders who were still giving threatening looks to one another.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Do you really want to be responsible for starting further bloodshed? Taking away MY job? No Autobot in history has been responsible for starting a war off…and the Titrons, you’re supposed to be strict in maintaining an untarnished record. If you start a war, you’ll tarnish your records so badly it may never be repaired.”  
  
 _Rodimus takes in deep breathes, finally calming down, with Thundercracker quickly following close behind.  
  
_ Gama: “As for an answer to your question, Hot Rod, I’ll be staying where I am until I’m certain my young can walk. If you extend your territory to the mesa, I’ll kill anyone who comes near me.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “It’s Rodimus Prime, Gama…”  
Thundercracker: (Muttering) “Try calling him Gamatron, and then maybe he’ll call you Rodimus again.”  
Rodimus: (Whining) “Alright, Gamatron…what can I do to encourage you to relocate?”  
  
 _Gama clicks his neck and thinks, before nodding to Rodimus.  
  
_ Gama: (Pointing) “I want Shockwave; you can keep the five eggs you recovered.”  
Thundercracker: (Confused) “Keep them? But they’re your children…”  
Gama: “They’re Females, so if they came with me they’d die.”  
Thundercracker: “…oh, I see.”  
Rodimus: (Curious) “Why should we allow Shockwave to go with you? He’s not exactly trustworthy in following our rules of the outdoors.”  
Gama: (Stern) “And neither am I.”  
 _  
Rodimus thinks to himself as Gama fixates his cold, militant stare on him.  
  
_ Gama: “Just Shockwave; nothing and Nobot else. In exchange, I’ll relocate my nest somewhere else, will leave any females behind, and will never set foot near your turf again.”  
Thundercracker: (Smirking) “That’s a lot you’re offering for just Shockwave, Gama.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “He’s that important to me and my future son, I’d even cut off one of my own arms to get him back…but, I’m not offering any of my limbs in this deal.”  
  
 _Rodimus taps his chin in thought, shifting his gaze from the ceiling to Gama as he thinks.  
  
_ Gama: “I’m only making the offer once; if you say no without making an offer yourself, then I won’t be going anywhere.”  
  
 _Rodimus folds his arms and stares deeply into Gama’s eye, trying to detect any forms of trickery.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Curious) “I’ll only agree…if you explain in detail what you plan on having Shockwave do.”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “That’s simple…he’ll be protecting the boys whilst I go gather things for them to play with, along with materials for a shelter and the like. Then he’ll be keeping watch whilst I clean and feed the young, and will be someone for me to talk to.”  
Thundercracker: “In other words; being what he is…your mate.”  
  
 _Gama nods reluctantly.  
  
_ Rodimus: “…well, I can’t really separate mates…it was hard enough trying to get your sister transferred to Cybertron let alone keep her there…so I’m assuming if we kept Shockwave here, you’d still try to reach him anyway.”  
Gama: (Stern) “You are correct.”  
  
 _Rodimus extends his hand to Gama._  
  
Rodimus: “Then it’s a deal; we’ll give you Shockwave in exchange for you relocating, leaving your female offspring behind with us, and never setting foot on Autobot territory again.”  
  
 _Gama grasps onto Rodimus’ hand and shakes it, with a very powerful grip and a sly grin on his face.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Muttering) “…I’ve seen that look somewhere before…but where?”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Quite the grip, Gamatron…I hope you’ll keep your end of the bargain and never come back here…because I’ll kill you myself if you do.”  
Gama: (Slyly) “…pleasure doing business with you.”  
  
 _Gama releases Rodimus’ hand and turns to leave the room, still smirking deviously, leaving Thundercracker and Rodimus behind to arrange for Shockwaves release.  
Within a few hours, Rodimus and Thundercracker arrived at the mesa with a heavily sedated Shockwave; Gama was nowhere to be seen, and the nest had already been emptied of the youngsters. Thundercracker raises a brow as he examines the remains of the nest, and kneels down to get a closer look.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Concerned) “…something doesn’t feel right, Rodimus.”  
Rodimus: “What do you mean?”  
  
 _Thundercracker scoops through the sand with his fingers, feeling something moist within the grains, before lightly tasting what was on his fingertips.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Worried) “…that’s not Egg-Energon…that’s blood-Energon.”  
  
 _Thundercracker rears up and begins scouting the nest area, before moving around more of the site to find something; growing more frantic in his search the more he tried to look for something, but found nothing at all.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “So what if you found some blood in the nest? Maybe one of the Sparklings cut themselves by accident and tried to bury its injury.”  
 _  
Thundercrackers eyes widened at the last sentence Rodimus said; bury. He returned to the nest and began scooping through the sand with intent on finding something, and unfortunately he did find something. Buried in the nest were three female Sparklings, dead.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Shocked) “Primus, what happened?”  
Thundercracker: “...infanticide or sibling slaughter…either could have happened, but I can give a more accurate answer if you give me a few minutes to see how they died.”  
  
 _Rodimus moves in closer, leaving the unconscious Shockwave by the mesa’s edge, to have a better look at the nest remains and the three deceased Sparklings. Thundercracker carefully unearthed all three and laid them out to assess their injuries, remaining totally silent.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Well? Any ideas?”  
  
 _Thundercracker rubs his chin and eyes one of the Sparklings with the most interest.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “This makes no sense…two of them have injuries that are too small to have been inflicted by Gama, but this one looks like it had been savaged by a full-grown adult.”  
Rodimus: (Bluntly) “In other words, you don’t know.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Quite the contrary; these two here had been killed by their stronger siblings, but it seemed Gama killed this one here himself. The question I’m posing is why Gama killed this one, and not any others.”  
  
 _Gama suddenly reveals himself from behind a boulder, still cleaning blood from his hands.  
  
_ Gama: “Because that was the last female.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “You didn’t have to kill her; we were going to be taking care of the females for you.”  
Thundercracker: (Angry) “And you agreed to give us your female offspring, not kill them!”  
Gama: (Hissing) “Poppycock; I never agreed to give you them ALIVE.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “And the others?”  
Gama: “The boys slaughtered those two whilst I was away, that female there only survived because her eyes were already open and she could avoid her brothers.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “But why kill her?”  
  
 _Gama finishes cleaning off his hands.  
  
_ Gama: “Because I didn’t want her.”  
Thundercracker: (Angry) “We’ve been over this already Gama; you didn’t have to kill her!”  
Gama: (Growling) “What I do to my offspring is none of your concern anymore; now be good and hand over Shockwave.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “We never agreed to give you Shockwave alive, so we could kill him right now if we wanted to.”  
Gama: “And I never agreed to NOT attack you near your territory, and I could very easily break your neck Rodimus Prime. Now if you would be so kind…”  
  
 _Gama steps forwards, towards Shockwave, bearings his fangs to Rodimus and Thundercracker once they hinted blocking him. Gama doesn’t stop advancing forwards, but Rodimus and Thundercracker refuse to move as well.  
Thundercracker begins to feel uncomfortable with Gama’s growing threat displays and slowly steps aside, leaving Rodimus in Gama’s way; Rodimus holds his ground and refuses to move, even as Thundercracker tried to talk him into moving away.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Nervous) “Rodimus…let him by…”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “Not a chance; he lied to me in that deal we made.”  
  
 _Gama stops his advance and smirks at Rodimus, lowering his head.  
  
_ Gama: (Slyly) “Oh, I never lied in that deal at all…you just didn’t specify you wanted the females alive, so it was your own error.”  
 _  
Rodimus squints as he focuses on Gama, briefly having a vision of seeing Megatron stood in front of him.  
  
_ Gama: (Chuckling) “Now then, I’ll ask once more before I decide to savage you; give me Shockwave and I will leave.”  
Thundercracker: (Nodding) “Leave us and everyone else unharmed.”  
Gama: “Of course.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “And what if I disagree?”  
Gama: (Snarling) “I’ll rip off your head and mount it on the wall of my new nesting site, how does that sound?”  
  
 _Rodimus twitches as he begins to feel the soul-cutting stare of Gama begin to break through him, but still refuses to move.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Nervous) “…Rodimus, d-do as he says…”  
Rodimus: (Stern) “I’m not scared of you, Gamatron.”  
Gama: “And I don’t care if you’re scared of me or not; I want Shockwave, and I will GET Shockwave, even if I have to kill you to get him.”  
Thundercracker: (Nervous) “R-Rodimus…please…he’s stronger than you are.”  
  
 _Rodimus keeps his gaze on Gama, before muttering to himself and standing aside; allowing Gama to approach Shockwave and haul him onto his (un-spiked) back._  
 _  
_Gama: (Smirking) “That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”  
Thundercracker: “K-keep your word and don’t show your face ever again.”  
Gama: (Slyly) “At the Autobot Base; you never specified the Titron Base or anywhere else on Earth in your bargain.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “Son of a--!”  
Gama: (Stern) “Insult my mother and I’ll rip out your throat.”  
  
 _Rodimus growls deeply whilst keeping Gama in his sights; Gama turned away to leave with Shockwave on his back.  
  
_ Gama: “Till we meet again; Rodimus Prime.”  
  
 _Gama activates his flight and takes to the skies with Shockwave on his back, leaving Thundercracker and Rodimus behind. As Rodimus looked up to watch Gama leave, he threw himself down onto his hands and knees; slamming his fist onto the ground in a fury.  
  
_


	16. Parenthood -Part 2-

_It was many days, if not weeks, later that the Autobots and Titrons heard any form of activity from Gama or Shockwave; Thundercrackers inspection turned up nothing on Sixshot, and thus he was in the clear for the time being to conduct his own investigation into Gama’s current activities.  
First on the agenda was finding the new nest, just to keep an eye on where it was located and what the parents were doing around it; it wasn’t hard to locate the likely spot the nest was hidden, since the town or city with the most Gama or Shockwave activity was highly likely the place. Thundercracker pinpointed the new zone the nest had been moved to; it was somewhere near Las Vegas, state of Nevada in the USA. Sightings of Gama lying in the desert sun and Shockwave recharging at the Hoover Dam solidified the belief that the nest was located there, and Thundercrackers job was to pinpoint the exact location and to set up cameras and microphones just so they could make sure the parents weren’t plotting anything malicious.  
But because Thundercracker was a large Seeker he couldn’t exactly sneak around and follow Gama without being detected both by sight, radar and most important of all; smell. The previous experiments on Gama revealed he could smell out a Cybertronian well over twenty miles away if he was cautious enough, so Thundercracker handed down the task of locating the nest and setting up the cameras and microphones to a group of humans; calling the squad N.E.S.T.  
N.E.S.T operative leader, William Lennox, had already begun sending his troops across outside of Las Vegas; the desert was so vast, flat and open that finding any nest (especially one as big as a Decepticons) would have been easy. As he expected, no nest was found out in the desert.  
The next spot to check was around the Hoover Dam and its surrounding settlements such as Boulder City; the mountains were scanned for Energon readings, coming back negative, and there were no buildings large enough for the nest to be hid inside. So with all the major spots outside the city ruled out, Lennox was going to see if Gama had made his new nest inside old abandoned buildings within Las Vegas itself._  
  
Lennox: (Pointing) “Alright guys; our targets are old abandoned buildings, large enough to fit two fully grown Decepticons inside. Remember to keep your radars on just in case either of them tries to ambush you; move out!”  
  
 _The truck the N.E.S.T team had gathered in, for the whole process of finding the Decepticon nest, grinds to a halt and everyone inside leaps out the back and immediately begins rushing in all directions in smaller groups of three or four people; Lennox takes a team of five and heads for the remains of an old warehouse, a place many young teenagers use to gather around until a couple of weeks ago when they all started to vanish._ _Lennox chose to inspect the warehouse with his team himself because of this fact; teenagers didn’t just vanish without a trace like these ones had and nobody had set foot inside the warehouse since the disappearances.  
Lennox forces the main warehouse door open enough to slip inside, followed by his five troops; it was one massive open space, and was pitch black with the sharp smell of metal. Lennox opens his radar and scans the building, detecting nine Energon signatures belonging to very young Cybertronians but no adults. He flips up a torch from his utility belt and begins searching the building, hearing things being knocked over or stepped on, with his troops all gathered behind him with both guns and scanners at the ready.  
Then, just ahead, Lennox saw the torn open concrete flooring indicating a new nest or tunnel; he approaches with his men and flashes the torch inside, finding it to actually be a tunnel dug by something much larger than even Shockwave and Gama combined. He scans the tunnel to see how deep it goes, before hearing more sounds coming from the shadows.  
  
_ Lennox: (Nodding) “Check around for them, they’re all here without their parents; I’ll continue getting readings from this tunnel.”  
  
 _The soldiers nod before splitting up to search around the warehouse, leaving Lennox to take readings from the tunnel.  
A pair of soldiers had moved to one corner of the warehouse that had crates towering all the way to the top of the ceiling; hearing and smelling strange things, they carefully searched using their torches and radars…until finding something disturbing.  
  
_ Soldier: (Calling) “Captain; you better take a look at this!”  
  
 _Lennox stops scanning the tunnel and moves to the soldiers by the crates, flashing his torch at a spot the Soldier had pointed to; barely visible behind one of the crates was one of the missing teenagers; dead with three of their limbs missing. The three then hear a strange chirring sound come from amongst the crates above them, causing them to flash their torches up to catch a glimpse of something that moved too quick to focus on.  
The three then begin flashing their torches around them, trying to locate the creature they barely caught a glimpse of, but they couldn’t get a definitive location on where it was as it was constantly moving around them.  
  
_ Lennox: (Stern) “Set your guns to stun.”  
  
 _The two soldiers nod to their captain and adjust their guns, scanning the area in search of the creature. They continue to hear it chirring at them, and dashing in the shadows around them.  
At first they were slightly curious as to what the creature was doing, but soon they realised something coordinative was coming into play; the sounds of one suddenly became the sounds of many, and soon Lennox and his men had regrouped finding themselves being hunted by something they couldn’t even see.  
Lennox then heard the loud thumping of a much heavier creature walking towards them, followed by the deep growl of a Cybertronian; he was able to lock onto the location of the sound, and flashed his torch in the direction he heard it coming from, only to see the creature leaping forwards with tooth and claw bared for attack. The other members of the troops, now that they could see the target, began shooting with the inhibitor-shots, sending the creature crashing onto the floor unconscious. The other creatures began whimpering in fear, backing away from circling the humans, before Lennox caught a glimpse of them all rushing to the tunnel and climbing inside.  
Captain Lennox and his team begin dragging out the sedated creature into the daylight, exposing its feature much clearer to them; it was a Decepticon Sparkling, roughly the same height as a full-grown man, bearing distinctive markings on its face and chest.  
Lennox kneels down besides the Sparkling and takes an Energon reading from it.  
  
_ Lennox: “Call Thundercracker and tell him we have one of the Sparklings, and a likely idea of where the new nest is located.”  
Soldier: (Confused) “Sir?”  
Lennox: “The sewer system below had been breached, allowing these things to roam around the city as they please. And the readings from the Sparkling indicate its nest is located by a mass of water; this means the nest is either in the sewers or is by Lake Mead.”  
  
 _The soldier salutes and rushes to the truck to deliver his orders to Thundercracker, whilst Lennox remains with the unconscious youngster and continues to examine the strange markings.  
A few hours later, and the Sparkling was secured inside the N.E.S.T base of operations in Las Vegas; now fully awake and making a great deal of noise. Lennox remains by the bulletproof-glass window, looking at the Sparkling, before turning around to the large doorway behind him and being greeted by Thundercracker.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Good job, Captain Lennox. We were just expecting a few cameras and microphones to be set up, but you actually caught one of them…that’s impressive work.”  
  
 _Lennox salutes to Thundercracker.  
  
_ Lenox: (Saluting) “I’ve already dispatched teams to Lake Mead and the sewer systems, to find the nests location. So far we’ve only found more non-manmade tunnels into various parts of the city.”  
Thundercracker: “So they’re going about through the sewer system…well, there’s one way to flush them out, and that’s by flooding them out. Once we have confirmation that it’s not just the Sparklings using the tunnels, we’ll be able to flood the entire Las Vegas sewer systems to get them to show themselves.”  
Lennox: (Confused) “But wouldn’t Rodimus Prime be angry about that? It’d damage a lot of Human property.”  
Thundercracker: “Trust me, the amount of damage these Sparklings could do, being allowed to come and go wherever they want, would be far worse. They’ve already killed some of your species, and we don’t want that trend to continue.”  
  
 _Lennox turns to look back at the Sparkling, as it began to forcefully ram at the window bearing its fangs. Thundercracker kneels down to get a look at it as well.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Curious) “This is the one that attacked you?”  
Lennox: “Yes sir; whilst the others circled us this one leapt out to attack.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “I see…this must be Gama’s heir then.”  
Lennox: “His heir? What makes this one so important over the others?”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “Besides those Leader Class markings, which look wonderful, it’s got a hot temper and coordinative skills. If it was ordering the others to trap you, then it is the leader of the pack…and obviously if I know this, Gama knows it as well. This will be his favourite Sparkling, and he’ll do anything to make sure it’s safe.”  
  
 _Thundercracker opens up the Cybertronian-door into the holding cell of the Sparkling, being quick to get a firm hold on it before removing it from the cell; it begins squirming and biting, but because of its size it cannot hurt Thundercracker.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Softly) “You’ve got some fight in you; what’s your name?”  
  
 _The Sparkling bites harder, to no avail.  
  
_ Lennox: “Maybe he doesn’t talk yet?”  
Thundercracker: (Suspecting) “No…the girls all started talking a few days ago, but that’s because they hatched later…”  
Lennox: (Shrugging) “Well…maybe Gama hasn’t taught them how to talk yet?”  
  
 _Thundercracker snaps his free fingers.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “That’s it! Why didn’t I think that before?”  
Lennox: (Confused) “Wait, what? What didn’t you think of before?”  
Thundercracker: (In Decepticon) “Boy; what is your name?”  
  
 _The Sparklings stops biting and bears its fangs to Thundercracker.  
  
_ Sparkling: (In Decepticon) “Don’t call me boy! I have a name!”  
Thundercracker: (Chuckling) “I was right; Gama has only taught them to speak and understand Decepticon.”  
Lennox: “That sounds strange…why limit their speech and understanding to just one language?”  
Thundercracker: (Nodding) “I’m going to find out. (In Decepticon) What is your name?”  
Sparkling: (In Decepticon) “Father said never to tell anyone who speaks the aliens’ language!”  
Thundercracker: (In Decepticon) “Even when we’re both the same species?”  
Sparkling: (In Decepticon) “You spoke the alien language before! You’re not one of us!”  
Thundercracker: “Wow, Gama has been strict with these kids…he’s imposing that learning the Universal Language is bad.”  
Lennox: (Annoyed) “If he was smart, he’d know that limiting their speech is bad. How are they supposed to understand what we’re talking about if he won’t allow them to learn the language?”  
Thundercracker: “Still trying to work that out myself…(In Decepticon) Your father is Gamatron, right?”  
Sparkling: (In Decepticon) “That’s right! And Shockwave! They’re both my father!”  
Thundercracker: (In Decepticon) “My name is Thundercracker, and I know both of your fathers, we go a long way back as friends…now can you tell me your name?”  
  
 _The Sparkling folds its arms and looks away, pouting.  
  
_ Sparkling: (In Decepticon) “Father said to talk nicely to his friends…so I guess I can…its Neu.”  
Thundercracker: (In Decepticon) “Neu? Nice to meet you, thanks for not biting my hand anymore.”  
  
 _Neu mutters to himself in a totally different language._  
  
Thundercracker: (In Decepticon) “…what was that, Neu?”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “Father said to never tell.”  
Thundercracker: (In Decepticon) “I see…well Neu, are you hungry? When were you last fed?”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “Father fed us yesterday but he’s been sick, so we didn’t get much Energon from him.”  
Thundercracker: (In Decepticon) “Gamatron is sick?”  
  
 _Neu nods his head lightly, looking worried but still looking equally as bratty.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (In Decepticon) “Alright Neu, I’m going to put you back in that room now, but I’ll give you some Energon ok?”  
  
 _Neu mutters in the strange language again, before nodding reluctantly. Thundercracker carefully places Neu into the cell again along with a small Energon cube, before locking it tight and turning back to Lennox.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Concerned) “Gama’s fallen sick it seems and can’t feed his Sparklings properly…which explains why they’ve resorted to hunting…”  
Lennox: “The kid told you all that?”  
Thundercracker: (Nodding) “He did…he also confirmed a suspicion I’ve been having about this whole ‘not learning the universal language’ business…he’s taught them a totally new language, one that not even I can understand.”  
Lennox: (Worried) “…they could coordinate attacks without anyone knowing what’s going on, and even if they were tortured for information they wouldn’t know how to give it in any language other than their own even if they wanted to.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “A very clever trick…it has its drawbacks of course but it also has its own advantages.”  
Lennox: “So what are we going to do?”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “I’m going to share this information with Rodimus, and then we’re going to decide whether to let Neu go back to his parents or if we should keep him for a little observation…just to learn more about this new language.”  
Lennox: “The chirring we heard was part of the new language I guess; I’ll have my men who heard it file a document describing it for you.”  
  
 _Thundercracker salutes to Lennox, who salutes back, before both go their separate ways.  
The meeting between Rodimus and Thundercracker was short, since Rodimus wanted to see Neu for himself before coming to any conclusions on what to do with him, but after a few hours watching Neu and discussing with Thundercracker and Captain Lennox; Rodimus Prime came up with a plan to find the hidden nest, making full use of Neu as their way of finding it.  
Neu was heavily sedated and had a tracking device strapped to his neck, before being placed where he had been found in the old abandoned warehouse; Lennox and his team stood by in their team truck, monitoring the Sparklings activity through the tracking devices radar.  
It wasn’t long before Neu awakened and had begun moving; heading down the tunnel Lennox examined and moving north-east through the sewers and new tunnels, with him finally stopping by Lake Las Vegas. Lennox and his team parked the truck at a safe distance from where the radar indicated Neu had stopped.  
Lennox’s team departed on foot to get a closer look at what Neu had stopped for, making sure to hide downwind of the Sparkling and keep low to the ground to avoid his sights. Lennox gestures to half of his troops to move to a separate flank of Neu as he began moving again, being sure to follow him at a safe distance as he moved closer to the Lake.  
Neu stopped again at a north-western point of the lake, looking across the water at an island just a short distance from the shore, before calling out in its direction in the typical Decepticon youngster fashion; within a few minutes the ground began to rumble, and Shockwave came into sight from behind the many desert shrubs and trees and into the water. Neu stretched his arms up towards Shockwave and chirped cheerfully, being carefully taken up in his claws and held close to his body, before being carried over to the island and out of Lennox and his team’s sight.  
This delay was minor, as Lennox had a dingy for such events stored in the Team Truck; within a few minutes of sending the request, the dingy was delivered and placed into the water, and Lennox and his team were on the island and back into the hunt.  
Lennox divided his team into two groups, both splitting up to scout out the entire island to cover more ground in shorter spaces of time; Lennox team was the first to make a discovery however, and was careful to ensure they were downwind of what they had found.  
Gama was lying on his side, breathing heavily with signs of rust on his kneecap and elbow joints; he was directly facing Lennox and his team but hadn’t seen them, since he looked incredibly weak and likely didn’t have the energy to focus his eye properly. Lennox takes a risk and moves more into Gama’s line of sight, but the giant does not respond.  
As Lennox got closer, he began to feel Gama’s struggling breath and was even able to get a few pictures of the downed giant. The other troops move forwards to Lennox, their guns at the ready, as Lennox went a step further and moved to one of Gama’s kneecaps and began scraping off a sample of the rust.  
  
_ Lennox: (Quietly) “This rust is too coarse to be Cosmic Rust, but we can’t be certain if this disease is contagious to other Cybertronians or not; put the sample into a biohazard container and get it shipped to Acidstorm right away.”  
  
 _A soldier salutes and takes the sample, leaving Lennox and his troops behind to take further notes and photographs. Lennox moves towards Gama’s face, looking deeply into his eye to see if he got any form of reaction from him; but Gama remained totally motionless on the floor, struggling to breathe. The troops enter a state of worry as they heard footsteps of a giant approaching, assuming it to be Shockwave, whereby they immediately return to hiding in the bushes before he could catch sight of them. Lennox and his crew whip out microphones and video cameras and begin filming; hoping Shockwave would say or do something that would indicate what had happened to Gama along with any possible delays this may cause to plans.  
Shockwave kneels down beside Gama and lifts one of his arms carefully in his claws, examining the rusty joints.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “It’s worse than it was yesterday…can you move at all, dear?”  
 _  
Gama lightly flexes his fingers, before going limp again and attempting to speak.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Shhh…don’t strain yourself; you need to keep your strength.” _  
  
Gama continues to try speaking, but no sound comes out.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “…Neu came home, mentioned something about seeing Thundercracker and getting fed…he had a tracking device around his neck but I’ve broken it off.”  
  
 _Gama closes his eye and tries to sit up, but falls back onto the ground with a heavy slam.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Gama…no…stay here.”  
Gama: (Weakly) “…we…need…to move…”  
  
 _Gama tries to get up again, finally able to get onto his hands and knees with Shockwave supporting his weight.  
  
_ Shockwave: “I know you’re concerned about them coming here, but you can hardly walk…we should stay here until you get better.”  
Gama: (Weakly) “What if…I don’t…get…better?”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “You will, just rest.”  
  
 _Gama tries to stand up, but even with Shockwaves support he wasn’t able to do it, and collapses back onto the floor totally limp and coughing.  
  
_ Lenox: (Whispering) “The symptoms look like Cosmic Rust, but the rust itself of too coarse…it makes no sense.”  
Soldier: (Whispering) “Maybe it’s a new strand of the disease?”  
  
 _Lennox turns to face the downed Gama and worried Shockwave, catching sight of the surviving fifteen Sparklings rushing to join their parents, and for Shockwave to force them to keep their distance from Gama.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “No, don’t get too close.”  
Sparkling: (Whimpering) “But daddy…”  
Shockwave: “…is very sick; you can’t touch him right now, otherwise you could get sick too.”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “He’s going to get better though, isn’t he?”  
  
 _Lennox immediately shows interest, as he clearly heard one Sparkling speak English.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “…I don’t know, Neu…it’s not looking good.”  
Sparkling: (Crying) “Why did daddy get sick? It’s not fair!”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “Surely there’s something we can give father to make him feel better, right?”  
Shockwave: (Smiling) “Of course…I just…don’t know what it is yet.”  
 _  
One of the Sparklings clings to Shockwave leg, looking up at him weakly.  
  
_ Sparkling: (Whimpering) “…but daddy, we’re hungry…and big daddy is the only one who can feed us.”  
  
 _Shockwave sighs and kneels down to the Sparklings, patting them on the heads as they swarmed him in tears.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “You’ll have to hold out just a little longer…I can’t leave your mother…err…father…in his current condition to get you any Energon.”  
 _  
The Sparklings continue their crying, with Gama struggling to move so he could see them.  
  
_ Gama: (Coughing) “…Shockwave…I can’t see…them…”  
  
 _Shockwave removes himself from the Sparklings and rushes to Gama’s side, examining his surviving eye with great care.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Worried) “…the inner linkage has been infected…you’re…going blind…” _  
  
Gama groans as Shockwave gently places his head back onto the floor, gasping for breath. Lennox stops filming and looks away, uncomfortable with filming anymore.  
  
_ Lennox: (Quietly) “…this is just sad…everyone; return to base.”  
  
 _Lennox and his team retreat from the island and return to base.  
Back at the N.E.S.T headquarters; Thundercracker was already waiting to greet Lennox and his team, and to inform them of what the sample they gave them actually was of. Lennox begins walking with Thundercracker to the main lab, where Acidstorm is trying to determine what Gama’s illness could be under the microscope-mode of Perceptor.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Nodding) “Well, you two learnt anything from that sample?”  
  
 _Acidstorm turns to Lennox and Thundercracker, lowering his head.  
  
_ Lennox: “…well that can’t be good.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Acidstorm; what’s wrong with Gama.”  
Acidstorm: (Wearily) “…it’s not Cosmic Rust, and it’s not contagious…this isn’t any ordinary disease.”  
Thundercracker: “Out with it already!”  
Acidstorm: (Sad) “…Gamatron’s processor is failing; it doesn’t matter what minerals Shockwave brings to him, his processor can’t manufacture it into anything productive. So although stuff is going into his ‘belly’ it’s not going where it should be from there.”  
Thundercracker: “So he’s starving?”  
Perceptor: (VO) “No, his body is just not absorbing any of the minerals it needs to keep healthy. He needs surgery to have his old processor removed and a new one placed in its stead.”  
  
 _Thundercracker growls and turns away and begins pacing.  
  
_ Lennox: (Curious) “…what could have caused this?”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “We’re not totally sure…whatever it was, it’s only caused the processor to fail and be unable to repair itself; the other side effects Gamatron has been displaying are a result of the processors shutdown.”  
Perceptor: (VO) “Anything he ate, or drank, would be a likely cause.”  
Acidstorm: “Just out of curiosity, Captain Lennox…did your men find anything…unusual…on the island?”  
  
 _Thundercracker stops pacing and turns to listen to what the Captain had to say.  
  
_ Lennox: (Pondering) “…just some remains of Decepticon eggshells, but we figured they came from Gama’s nest.”  
Thundercracker: “That’s not possible…the eggs Gama laid all hatched back on the High Mesa; there should have been no traces of eggs on that island.”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “…I’m having my suspicions about those eggshells…tell me Captain; did one of your men get a photograph or a sample?”  
Lennox: (Nodding) “Yes sir; both in fact.”  
Thundercracker: “Oh? Let’s have a look.”  
  
 _Lennox hands the photographs to Thundercracker and the samples from the eggshells to Acidstorm; who heads back to microscope Perceptor to examine them.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Curious) “These don’t look like normal Decepticon eggs to me.”  
Acidstorm: (Worried) “It’s because they’re not…these where Dweller eggs.” _  
  
Thundercracker flinches and nearly crushes the photographs in his hands.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Shocked) “Dwellers?! B-but…how did those get all the way over here from Cybertron?!”  
  
 _Acidstorm turns to Thundercracker, glaring at him.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Stern) “It should be obvious how; who speaks in their tongue? Who rides the damn things and keeps them as pets?”  
  
 _Thundercracker rubs his chin and ponders.  
_  
Perceptor: (VO) “A better question; who is large enough to smuggle this many Dweller Eggs, totally undetected, possibly by means of Space Bridge?”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “…Shockwave.”  
Acidstorm: “Gamatron’s processor failed because he ate some of the Dweller Eggs; although the Dweller hatchlings would have been vaporised inside the processor, if they were due to hatch within a day of them being consumed, then they would have had enough time to ravage Gamatron’s insides.”  
Perceptor: (VO) “In other words; eat him alive, from the inside out.”  
  
 _Lennox and Thundercracker cringe at the thought.  
  
_ Lennox: (Curious) "...why bring Dweller's to Earth?"  
Acidstorm: "Isn't it obvious? Shockwave was going to use the Dwellers to protect Gamatron and his offspring, since he can control them."  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) "But instead, they made Gama seriously ill…is there anything we can do?"  
  
 _Acidstorm turns to look down the microscope-mode Perceptor at the samples he had been given by Captain Lennox._  
  
Acidstorm: “…bring Gamatron here for surgery…that processor needs replacing or he’ll slip into a coma and die.”  
  
 _Thundercracker lowers his head before nodding lightly at no one in particular. He glances down at Lennox and nods to him, before heading out to the Titron Field Group inside N.E.S.T’s main hall._  
 _Gathering Gama was no easy task, especially since Shockwave was still totally healthy and was going to do anything he could to protect Gama and his offspring; indeed when Thundercracker and his group arrived at the island the first thing they noticed was Shockwave firing at them in fury, with the youngsters hidden from sight. The group had to wait for Shockwaves ammo to run out so they could apprehend him whilst reloading, before they could grab the vegetating Gama and return to base with him.  
Shockwave was determined to get Gama back, and immediately began pursuit with his turret ablaze with gunfire. Thundercracker had to deal with Shockwave himself to grant his group enough time to get Gama safely behind the N.E.S.T HQ doors, and by the time they did arrive it wasn’t just Gama in need of urgent medical attention; Thundercracker had been hit badly by Shockwaves turret-fire, and needed repair work right away, leaving Acidstorm feeling worried about his condition even as he had Gama under the knife to replace the damaged processor.  
As Acidstorm began the process of removing Gama’s old processor, he saw the extent of the damage to the device along with other parts of Gama’s insides; luckily there were no traces of Dweller Hatchlings inside, however remains from their eggshells had not been properly ‘digested’ inside Gama’s stomach/processor which confirmed Acidstorms suspicions.  
Once the new processor was inside Gama, the next job was to clear up as much of the rust as possible and to pump as many minerals into his body alongside the treatment. Acidstorm was careful to ensure Gama remained sedated for the entire time he was at the N.E.S.T HQ, so that he could recover back on the island without knowing he’d ever left it.  
Thundercracker finally came out of his repairs to visit the slumbering giant, who was being prepared for his return to the island he was taken from.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Groaning) “I trust you replaced the processor…because Shockwave was not happy to see any of us.”  
Acidstorm: “Oh, the operation was a complete success. We managed to repair a lot of the damage the failure was causing, but the rest is all up to Gamatron now…are you feeling any better, Thundercracker? I heard the shot wound was pretty nasty.”  
  
 _Thundercracker cracks his spine back into place, with a loud snap being clearly heard.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Muttering) “A bit stiff, but my shoulders’ as good as new.”  
Acidstorm: “…so I can see…”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “I’m going to help the others return Gama to the island, and to investigate those tunnels Lennox had found…if we have Dwellers on this planet, we need to exterminate them or get them moved back to Cybertron right away.”  
  
 _Acidstorm nods and watches as Thundercracker departs, only to raise a brow as he came rushing back.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Oh and just one more tiny detail…make sure our ‘guest’ is still in sedation, alright? The transfer over here will have made him grumpy.”  
  
 _Acidstorm nods again but with a look of slight worry on his face, and watches Thundercracker depart once more.  
Whilst Thundercracker and his group returned Gama to the island, back at the N.E.S.T HQ, things weren’t going so well…Acidstorm had ventured to where their ‘guest’ was being contained to sedate him again before he could wake up, but by the time he reached the containment facility the ‘guest’ was contained in, he found they had already gone and left a large hole in the wall.  
Acidstorm didn’t know what to do and now had to break this news to Thundercracker upon his return. Thundercracker was only gone for an hour or so, as he had to explain to Shockwave what made Gama so sick, before returning to the base.  
  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “…welcome back Thundercracker; did everything go well?”  
Thundercracker: (Sighing) “A nice family reunion…thankfully with no gunfire, cursing or bloodshed. Gama woke up believing he’d never left.”  
Acidstorm: “T-that’s good…um…say…about this uh, ‘guest’…well…”  
Thundercracker: (Chuckling) “You sedated him right? Gama was inside the strong cell whilst his wounds healed up so we had to move the ‘guest’ to a weaker room…which could never hold him if he was awake.”  
Acidstorm: (VERY Nervous) “W-well…you see…he…escaped.”  
Thundercracker: (Shouting) “He WHAT?!”  
  
 _Acidstorm cowers.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Angry) “I trust you ran after him with a Rifle to sedate him before an Autobot saw him?!”  
  
 _Acidstorm fidgets with his fingers nervously, refusing to make eye-contact.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “…I…I didn’t…I was too afraid.”  
  
 _Thundercracker face-palms before rushing to one of the walls with the special Sedation Rifles; he grabs one of the guns and loads it, slipping extra sedative chargers into his storage compartment.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Worried) “Y-you’re going after him?!”  
Thundercracker: “Someone has to…a lunatic like that can’t be given the same privileges as Gama.”  
Acidstorm: (Shocked) “B-but…it’s HIM.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “More reason to hurry and bring him back!”  
Acidstorm: “Alone?! Are you MAD!?” _  
_Thundercracker: (Growling) “If an Autobot sees him, I’m done for! I can’t risk someone else getting into trouble over this when they really had nothing to do with it to begin with.”  
Acidstorm: (Frantic) “Please Thundercracker; if the Autobots found out you’d just be exiled…but if you confronted him alone, he could KILL you!”  
  
 _Thundercracker sighs._  
  
Acidstorm: “Please, I ask you to reconsider.”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “He’s nothing like Gama, both in mind and body, but they both share the same perks and drawbacks…Sixshot is either coming back asleep or in a body-bag; now move out of the way!”  
  
 _Thundercracker charges out the main exit with the rifle, transforming into jet mode and shooting into the sky at full-thrust.  
  
_


	17. Predator and Prey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Advanced warning of Rape and Infanticide/Cannibalism.

_ _

_Elsewhere, back on the island Gama and Shockwave had moved their nest to, the youngsters were playing with Dweller Hatchlings and other odds-and-ends their parents had left out for them; Shockwave had gone to gather minerals for Gama’s recovery, whilst said Decepticon stayed behind to watch over his Sparklings. Gama yawned as he watched the youngsters, struggling to stay awake.  
  
_ Sparkling: (Chirping) “Neu! The fleshy thing is moving again!”  
  
_Neu and the Sparklings stop playing with the Dweller Hatchlings and turn on a human Shockwave had left out for them; the human was already injured badly, but the cries of pain from it didn’t stop the Sparklings from dragging it around or tossing it to one another like a toy.  
As the youngsters played, and Gama struggled to stay awake, another Cybertronian had set foot on the island; he made sure to stay downwind of Gama, low to the ground and stalking forwards with his sights locked on one thing in particular. The Sparklings continued playing, having not seen, smelt or heard the newcomer’s arrival.  
The hidden Cybertronian stalks closer and closer to the Sparklings, having not taken its eyes off of them; then, in almost a blink of an eye, it leapt forwards bearing its fangs and ran into the pack of infants.  
Gama leaps to his feet but is confused by what is happening, as he is still weak from his surgery, and widens his eye in shock as he sees a fully-grown adult male trying to grab hold of his children; Gama leans forwards, bearing his fangs, and releases an almighty roar that would cause any lower-ranking male to run in terror…but this male stood his ground and fully emerged from the dust cloud he had created whilst pursuing the youngsters.  
The group all return to Gama, hiding behind his legs as he maintained his threatening looks. The attacker also turned and spread his legs apart, leaning forwards and bearing his own teeth; Gama roars again, causing his infants to cover their ears from the noise, but the opposing male just roars back from behind its faceplate. Gama squints as the roar was much louder than his own.  
  
_ Cybertronian: (Laughing) “Is that the best you can do?”  
Gama: (Growling) “It’d have been louder if I wasn’t feeling so sick.”  
Cybertronian: (Chuckling) “Weak with sickness, are we? That’s too bad; I was hoping to have a fair fight with you.”  
Gama: (Angry) “You don’t have to fight me; you trespassed onto my property and can leave without an ass-whooping.”  
Cybertronian: “Oh, we have to fight alright…I’ve just given you a reason to.”  
  
_Gama raises a brow in confusion, until it suddenly became clear to him as the dust-cloud finally settled around the challenger; inside the attackers right hand was one of his Sparklings, dead.  
  
_ Cybertronian: (Smirking) “I’m usually not one to target the little weak ones, but you see…with them belonging to you I had to slaughter them.”  
Gama: (Snarling) “Filthy beast! You must have a death wish!!”  
  
_The Cybertronian tosses the dead Sparkling aside and flexes his hand, before removing his faceplate and revealing the distinctive Leader Class markings on his face. Gama’s eye widens in shock once he got a clear look at them, along with the full features on his opponents face.  
  
_ Cybertronian: (Chuckling) “After that asshole Thundercracker broke my jaw, I’ve had to wear a fucking protective faceplate around other Cybertronians in case I decided to fight them…but with you, I’ll make an exception.”  
Gama: (Shocked) “S-S-Sixshot?!”  
  
_Sixshot drops the faceplate onto the floor beside the dead Sparkling, licking his lips.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “I’ve not fought another Alpha Male for thousands of years…this is going to be so juicy….oh so juicy…” _  
  
Gama kicks his feet back, telling the youngsters to hide in the bushes behind him. Once they had moved to a safer spot, Gama erected his crest and displayed Threat colours, snarling and growling at Sixshot.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Clapping) “Oh displaying! I missed doing that!”  
  
_Sixshot erects his crest and mimics Gama’s display, but is much louder than Gama and stretches his crest out wider, making it look bigger. Gama squints, feeling the urge to run away, but fights the urge once he remembered he had to protect his young. Sixshot raises his body up, with his head still low and heavily displaying the size of his crest to Gama, roaring deeply.  
Gama takes a step back, trembling but fighting to try and hold his ground.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Laughing) “What’s the matter? Not got the stones to take me on?”  
  
_Gama clenches his fists and stomps his foot forwards again, flexing his shoulders and neck, before releasing a much louder roar. Sixshot stumbles back and laughs again, regaining his composure.  
  
_ Sixshot: “Now that’s more like it!”  
  
_Sixshot throws himself onto all fours before leaping at Gama, using the force of all four limbs to leap with amazing speeds; Gama is slow to expect the attack and ends up pinned to the floor, with Sixshots hands around his neck. Gama claws at Sixshots arms, gasping for air as he was steadily choked.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Chuckling) “Such a disappointment, Gamatron…leaving yourself wide open for a tackle was a mistake not even your old man would make.”  
_  
Sixshot smirks as he grips harder around Gama’s neck, causing him to scream out and struggle harder.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Stern) “Where is that old bastard anyway? I have a score to settle with him.”  
  
_Gama grasps onto Sixshots arm, gasping with more desperation. Sixshot eases his grip and releases Gama, giving him a chance to breathe again before Sixshot grabbed him across the throat once more; this time he didn’t choke Gama, but was using the hold to keep him pinned onto the floor.  
  
_ Sixshot: “Okay bitch, here’s the deal; I’ll let you and your pipsqueak brats go if you tell me where your old man is hiding, capiche?”  
  
_Gama bears his fangs and tries to get up, only for Sixshot to slam him back down with force.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Growling) “Hey bitch, stay down before I really hurt you…and answer my question.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “I’m not a bitch!”  
Sixshot: (Snarling) “You lost that pathetic excuse for a fight, so I’m the dominant male here, and I’m calling you my bitch. Now answer the damn question!”  
  
_Gama growls deeply and doesn’t answer, with Sixshot beginning the choking process once again briefly to remind Gama of the situation, but Gama remains silent.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Chuckling) “Tough bastard, aren’t you? You know if you weren’t a male I might have claimed you as my real bitch, but because you are male…well…I’ll just have to either beat you until you talk or choke you to death.”  
  
_Sixshots teasing stare suddenly turns into a sinister and threatening glare.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Coldly) “Which is it gonna be, Gamatron? The bruises of a beating or my finger imprints around your cold, dead neck?!” _  
  
Gama swallows deeply, panting and sweating nervously as Sixshot maintained his hold on him.  
  
_ Gamatron: (Quietly) “…he’s no threat to you anymore, so leave him alone.”  
Sixshot: (Laughing) “No threat? NO THREAT? Oh Gamatron…you’ve got a stupid head on your shoulders; stupid, but funny!”  
  
_Sixshot suddenly tightens his grip on Gama’s neck again.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Coldly) “I don’t like it when other Alpha’s think they’re funny.”  
  
_Gama claws at Sixshots arms again.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Growling) “I know he got the special ‘treatment’ Rodimus Prime ordered…the fact he’s a submissive, whiny-ass bitch isn’t the reason I want to see him dead; it’s because of what he did to me, all my LIFE.”  
  
_Gama squints as Sixshot forces his head back to apply more pressure around his throat.  
  
_ Sixshot: “…the cold nights on the outskirts of massacres, the looks of disgust the others gave me, all of my pain and suffering under the Decepticons ‘Leader’ boils down to the point where he nearly murdered me; tossed me in the gutter!”  
  
_Gama’s choking becomes more obvious, and his Sparklings hiding in the bushes begin to whimper and cower at the sight. Sixshot hears one of the cries, and stops choking Gama to lock his sights onto them.  
Sixshot smirks at the Sparklings, chuckling sinisterly to himself, before releasing Gama and stalking his way over to them next; Gama rolls onto his belly, coughing and trying to recover from the strangling, before grasping onto Sixshots leg and refusing to let go.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Coldly) “Such heroic nonsense.”  
  
_Sixshot turns back on Gama; grasping his head and stomping a foot down onto his (un-spiked) back with force, causing Gama to release his hold on his other leg. Gama squints and holds back his urge to scream as Sixshot stomps his other foot down onto his back as well, and begins jumping with full-force up and down onto Gama’s already weak back.  
Sixshot grows tired of the jumping and flops down onto Gama’s back with his rear, releasing a loud crack from Gama alongside almighty screams of pain.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Laughing) “Oh, enjoying the ‘massage’? Your back should be nice and crippled by now.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Your backside will be full of holes in a few seconds.”  
Sixshot:  “What?”  
  
_Gama quickly erects his protective back-spikes, with some of them badly cutting Sixshots rear and one of his legs. Sixshot sits up, screaming in pain, whilst Gama remains weakly lying on the floor, unable to move. Sixshot snarls and turns around, rubbing his injured rear, before kicking Gama in the side with enough force to turn him onto his back.  
Sixshot plants a foot down onto Gama’s crotch and leans forwards, making direct eye-contact with Gama.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Growling) “You’re going to regret doing that, bitch.”  
  
_Gama spits at Sixshots face, who wipes the spit off and stares at it in his hand, before firmly slapping Gama across the face with the back of his hand.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Hissing) “Limp as a ragdoll and still trying to insult me! I’m not keeping you alive an Astrosecond longer!”  
  
_Sixshot flips out a knife from his wrist and leans down to Gama, firmly grasping his head and exposing his neck; Sixshot places the blade a few inches from Gama’s throat, before catching whiff of something and pulling the blade back.  
Gama pants and tightly closes his eye as he felt Sixshot move closer to him, sniffing him thoroughly.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “Primus no…don’t let him notice…”  
  
_Sixshot exposes Gama’s neck again and sniffs up against it, gently licking it to taste something, before pulling back to stare down at Gama.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Curious) “…your scent just changed…like, right this second.”  
  
_Gama remains panting in a panic, refusing to make eye-contact with Sixshot who remains seated on his chest.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Curious) “Do tell me, where is the mother of the pipsqueaks? Usually it’s her left behind with them…not the male.”  
_  
Gama refuses to answer and Sixshot continues to eye him as if suspecting something until pondering over his question himself and looking away.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Quietly) “…I’m curious over this little oddity, Gamatron…that’s quite rare for me, for you see; when I have a knife at someone’s throat, it ALWAYS gets slit.”  
  
_Gama tenses as he feels Sixshot touching his belly, as if feeling for something.  
  
_ Sixshot: “…once I find out why your scent changed, I might just decide to slit it anyway…you can’t move, so you won’t be going anywhere.”  
  
_Sixshot stops feeling Gama’s belly and begins sniffing it instead, with Gama trying with all his might to move a limb in protest to no avail.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “I’ve smelt Triple-Changers before, and their scent never changes like their shapes do…the only case of a scent-changer I’ve heard of, but never seen for myself, is a hermaphrodite.”  
  
_Gama’s eye widens as Sixshot leans closer to his face again, smirking down at the crippled Decepticon.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Teasing) “You wouldn’t happen to be a hermaphrodite now, would you Gamatron?”  
  
_Gama begins panting again, looking very worried, causing Sixshots smirk to turn into a sinister smile.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “Hmmm…let’s have a quick smell, shall we? That should answer things just as well as any drivel from your mouth.”  
  
_Gama tries to struggle as Sixshot moved down to his crotch and began sniffing, with the fellow Leader Class quick to pull away after only a few seconds smelling to analyse what he had detected; Gama groans as he continues to try and move, becoming more frantic once Sixshot began to sniff his body with more interest again.  
Sixshot snorts as he sniffs, firmly grabbing onto Gama’s hips and forcing his legs apart, before climbing back onto his crippled body to make eye-contact again.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Purring) “You have a honey pot.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “D-don’t be foolish!”  
Sixshot: (Slyly) “Oh I smelt it, you delivered some eggs recently…I’d say two months ago…which means you’re a month away from being fertile again.”  
  
_Gama tenses as he saw a sinister gleam in Sixshots eyes.  
  
_ Sixshot: “You’re not valuable to me as a fellow alpha male, but…hahaha…compared to a common Breeding Unit, you’re more valuable to me for spawning.”  
Gama: (Snarling) “I’d never carry your filthy spawn, Sixshot!!”  
  
_Sixshot taps his fingers across Gama’s chest and lightly flicks his nose, eyeing the Sparklings that were still trying to hide in the bushes.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “That’s because you’re still nursing someone else’s brats…once I’ve killed them all, you’ll be back in heat again at the end of the month, and then you’ll be begging someone to fill your pot with some honey.”  
  
_Gama hisses sharply, struggling to move again.  
  
_ Sixshot: “Oh you’ll love my treatment, Gamatron…once you have a session with Sexshot you’ll be burning for a little while, but oh, at the time of your injection, it feels good….so very, very good.”  
  
_Gama gasps as Sixshot leans down again and licks his neck seductively. Gama squints as he feels Sixshot lift his rear, giving him easier access to his tailpipe/port, and locks vision with his children in the bushes.  
  
_ Gama: (In Strange Language) “G-get your father!! Find S-shockwave! Quickly!!”  
  
_The Sparklings all nod and rush towards the tunnel entrance on the island, without looking back. Sixshot chuffs at Gama and licks his lips, ejecting his hose deep into Gama’s tailpipe and up his port; Gama’s arms spasm, and one launches up to grasp Sixshots by itself as Gama groans in agony on the floor with his eye tightly shut.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “You know what’s funny, Gamatron?” _  
  
Sixshot licks his lips and looks away as Gama cries out in pain, even though Sixshot isn’t thrusting yet.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Coldly) “I don’t know why those morons at the Autobot base thought cutting out two of my storage tanks would make me calmer…because I actually have more than two of those honey sacks, so as if removing two would make a difference.”  
  
_Sixshot leans in closer to Gama.  
  
_ Sixshot: “They never mentioned you getting yours cut out…I want to know why.”  
  
_Gama grips tighter onto Sixshots arm as he began thrusting.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Angry) “What made you so special, huh?! Even your old man got his taken out! So why not the new ‘Leader’ of the Decepticons?! Hmm?!”  
  
_Sixshot begins thrusting with anger, causing Gama great amounts of pain.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Growling) “And you got to live outside away from the Auto-fags…whilst I was sat in a fucking glass box with a tube down my throat to be fed Energon for three weeks! Why should YOU get special treatment, whilst I have to suffer?! Especially when we’re both the same fucking breed!?”  
_  
Gama gasps as he felt Sixshots hose ram into his cervix, with there being so much brute force that an orgasm just wasn’t going to happen. Sixshot licks his lips again, looking away from Gama and at nothing in particular again. (Think of Sixshot as someone with a constantly wandering mind, never focusing on something for too long.)  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “Hmmm…same breed…I think all of those eggs you’ll be making will be nice, strong males…”  
Gama: (Groaning) “N-no eggs…for you…”  
Sixshot: “Hey, I’ve got my stinger in your pot, ready to fill it with my honey. You’ll be making those eggs no matter how much you don’t want to.”  
  
_Gama slams his hands down onto the floor, digging his fingers deep into the sand as Sixshot continued ramming into his body, with his hoses barbs now fully erected and grinding away at Gama’s port, making him more submissive. Gama whimpers as Sixshot began to take full enjoyment in his suffering, and tightly shuts his eye in defeat, until hearing the heavy thud of a Cybertronian landing not too far away and loading a weapon.  
Sixshot stops thrusting and turns around to see who had disturbed him, with Gama weakly able to lift himself up to see for himself; Thundercracker had arrived with a fully loaded Sedative Rifle and had a clear shot at Sixshot.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Coldly) “Okay shithole; back off Gama nice and slow…”  
Sixshot: (Chuckling) “Thundercracker…please…we were just having a nice chat, weren’t we Gamatron?”  
  
_Thundercracker cocks his weapon, making Sixshot twitch in fear.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Growling) “Move away; now.”  
  
_Sixshot doesn’t move, and Thundercracker doesn’t even blink as he maintains his aim on Sixshot._  
  
Sixshot: (Nervous) “O-Okay…I’m letting him go…”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “Nice and slow, hands where I can see them.”  
  
_Sixshot removes himself from Gama and raises his hands, slowly standing up and moving aside. Thundercracker whips out a pair of stasis cuffs and approaches Sixshot, who he was quick to hand-cuff and render immobile. Once Sixshot was down and unable to resist arrest, Thundercracker moved to Gama’s side.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Are you injured?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “…only my pride.”  
  
_Thundercracker shakes his head and leaves Gama where he is, before returning to Sixshot and hauling him up, readying him for return to N.E.S.T HQ.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “Come on, shithole; back to the glass box for you.”  
Sixshot: (Growling) “You won’t hold me for long.”  
Thundercracker: “We’ll see about that; we’re having this island protected, so even if you do get out again you won’t be able to come back here.”  
Sixshot: (Laughing) “Oh, I’ll be back! You couldn’t hold me last time, so you can’t hold me this time!! I’ll be back, and when I do come back, I’m gonna load up that belly of Gamatron’s and---!!”  
  
_Thundercracker punches Sixshot in the jaw, shutting him up, before departing with the convict over his shoulder. A few minutes later and Shockwave returned to Gama, deeply worried by what he had been told by the Sparklings about Sixshot; Shockwave repairs Gama’s injuries but is unable to do anything for the little Sparkling Sixshot had killed.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Muttering) “I shouldn’t have left you here…it’s my fault.”  
Gama: (Groaning) “N-no…it’s no one’s fault, Shockwave. How were you supposed to know that Sixshot had escaped confinement?”  
  
_Shockwave looks away, looking ashamed of himself, as Gama gets to his feet and cracks his spine back into place.  
  
_ Gama: “We need to move now; both Sixshot and the Titrons know we are here, and if Thundercracker knows where I am then Rodimus Prime does.”  
Shockwave: (Sighing) “But you’re still weak from your sickness…you need to rest.”  
Gama: (Stern) “Listen Shockwave, the Titrons we can trust, the Autobots we can’t; we need to move right now before any danger shows up.”  
  
_Gama weakly limps to the Sparklings, taking several of them in his arms, with Shockwave collecting the remaining ones in his own.  
  
_ Shockwave: “You know with your condition, we might not end up moving very far…”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “I can still fly, you know!”  
Shockwave: (Concerned) “Look…why don’t you stay here and I’ll take the young to a new location, and then I can come and carry you.”  
_  
Gama growls deeply and slowly takes off, with Shockwave flying close by with his eye on Gama on their entire journey; they flew across the state of Nevada and into California, settling down in Searles Valley for a quick rest, before continuing their journey on foot to Sequoia National Forest.  
The Sparklings all threw themselves onto the ground, panting from exhaustion after all the walking, whilst their parents immediately began setting up a territorial perimeter.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “We’re not staying here for good, my children…just for the night.”  
  
_The Sparklings all huddle together, still panting, and look up at their towering parents as they came to lie beside them.  
  
_ Shockwave: “We should get up early tomorrow, to get more distance between ourselves and the Titrons.”  
  
_Gama nods to Shockwave as he wraps an arm around his Sparklings, pulling them closer to his chest. Shockwave lies down on the opposite side of Gama. Both of them keep the Sparklings securely between their bodies, before drifting to sleep.  
The next morning was an early start, and Gama’s family was on the move again on foot for a short while, before flying to Antelope Valley in the southern half of California where they rested for the night. And, the next morning, they awakened early again to move on to their final destination; Angeles National Forest.  
Gama was quick to begin marking territorial borders, but he was also quick to grow tired and fall to sleep in the middle of doing his work. Shockwave remained in the middle of the territorial perimeter with the Sparklings; lightly digging a nest for them to sleep in, looking up and around him for any threats every now and then, along with calling out for Gama.  
When Gama didn’t return for half an hour; Shockwave shuffled the Sparklings into the new nest and set out to find him by following the scent marks Gama had left around their territory. Shockwave eventually found Gama, sleeping soundly by a tree he was going to scent mark, and decided to bring him to the nest to sleep by his youngsters.  
Several days had passed, and the family seemed to settle peacefully in Los Angeles National Forest; Gama was back to normal again, only a tiny bit slower than normal, but Shockwave thought nothing of it.  
The Titrons and Autobots hadn’t located them yet, and Shockwave was careful to ensure it stayed that way by monitoring the transmissions shared between the two factions and the Humans. One transmission he did pick up however disturbed him; Thundercracker was issuing a warning to his N.E.S.T and Titron forces that an unnamed ‘guest’ had escaped confinement over the airwaves, but what really caught Shockwaves interest was that the message was encoded meaning Autobots and normal Human’s couldn’t decipher it. Shockwave was only able to decipher it using a skill Soundwave taught him in the past.  
With this new information on hand, Shockwave began to stay close to Gama and his young, even refusing to leave to gather minerals and supplies; this tests Gama’s patience greatly, and eventually Shockwave comes clean and tells him the cause for his concerns…Sixshot had escaped confinement again, and was following their trail.  
It is sunset, and Gama is seeking to obtain supplies and minerals to keep his family happy and healthy, but Shockwave remains filled with worry about Sixshot…  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “If I’m with you, he can’t do anything. So wherever you go, I will follow.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “And who will watch the Sparklings?”  
Shockwave: “They can come with us too.”  
Gama: (Growling) “They can’t come everywhere with us, you know…they’re the size of a human, and can be killed easily by not just fully grown Cybertronians, but even Humans as well. And you know quite clearly that where we go to obtain minerals and supplies is heavily protected by armed Humans, which are more than perfectly capable of killing our Sparklings.” _  
  
Shockwave lowers his head.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “So either you stay with the Sparklings and I get the supplies, or I stay with the Sparklings and you get the supplies; it’s your choice.”  
Shockwave: (Shrugging) “I guess…I can look over them this time.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “Good; I’ll be a few hours, so you stay here and keep them safe. If Sixshot rears his ugly face, well, I’m healthy enough to break it this time.”  
_  
Shockwave squints and looks at Gama, worried.  
  
_ Gama: “I’ll be fine, trust me.”  
  
_Gama places his hands onto Shockwaves shoulders and nods his head, with Shockwave reluctantly pulling away.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “Alright…call me if he does show up and I’ll move the Sparklings to a new spot.”  
Gama: “I will, now I’ll be right back, I promise.”  
_  
Gama rushes into the forest, in the general direction of Los Angeles, leaving Shockwave behind with the Sparklings and full of worry.  
On the outskirts of Los Angeles; Gama was ripping up old signposts and parts from cars, gathering metal to replenish himself and Shockwave with, whilst also harvesting other items. Metals, small tanks of gasoline, coal, engine oil and fabric (for the Sparklings bedding) were all obtained on his trek though Los Angeles; in the dead of night, alone and avoiding mass human attention.  
Those living in the suburbs that saw Gama always called the police, but by the time the police arrived to investigate he had already moved on, so the law enforcement began ignoring these calls as they thought they were all hoaxes.  
But as Gama’s load increased, he began to leave evidence behind of him being there; footprints and damage to property at a height no human could reach were typical signs that he had been there. Once the lawmen saw these tracks, they immediately called the Autobots for assistance, but they would not be able to arrive for several hours since Los Angeles was so far away.  
Gama finally decided to head back to the forest for the night, as he felt content with what he had gathered; on his long trek home he passed through another suburb that he had raided earlier, with the humans taking photographs out their windows but with everyone (except rebellious youths)refusing to go into the street. Gama stops his trek in the suburb once the wind had changed, catching the scent of someone who had been following him downwind. Gama places his harvested goods onto the floor and keeps his back turned.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “You’ve been following me, but haven’t even used the opportunity to attack, Sixshot.”  
  
_Sixshot moves into view, still behind Gama who had still not turned around._  
  
Sixshot: (Chuckling) “Attack you? I’m not interested in that anymore.”  
Gama: “Then you were waiting to see where my nest is located, so you could kill my Sparklings.”  
Sixshot: (Nodding) “Partially true, I wanted to kill your mate as well.”  
  
_Gama hisses and turns around, with Sixshot moving much closer to him.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Stern) “Don’t like that, do you? I’m telling you right now; both take my spawn willingly and make me some eggs, or I’ll hunt down and kill your mate and offspring, forcing you to become mates with me instead.” _  
  
Gama snarls.  
  
_ Sixshot: “I know you don’t want to be mates with me; I can see it in your optic…but if your heir dies, and your current mate dies as well, then you’d be free sport for anyone.” _  
  
Sixshot takes another step forwards, with Gama stepping back bearing his fangs and growling deeply.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “Just a few little eggs, Gamatron…that’s all I want.”  
Gama: (Snarling) “Get them from someone else; my body and its contents belong to Shockwave!” _  
  
Gama slaps his hands across his mouth in shock, with Sixshot stopping his approach.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “Shockwave, eh? My, my Gamatron…you like the big-bots? Well, I’m just as big as Shockwave is…so you’ll come to like me eventually just like you did with him.” _  
  
Sixshot approaches again, with Gama bumping into a nearby house as Sixshot got even closer.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Growling) “Considering you’re the new Decepticon Leader, you’re a big coward Gamatron; I’m not even picking a fight.”  
Gama: (Hissing) “K-keep back or I’ll strike you!”  
Sixshot: “Trembling like that? I doubt it.”  
  
_Sixshot quickly rushes Gama and tries to pin him against the house, but Gama dodges and Sixshot misses. Gama immediately tries to call Shockwave for help but as he was running away Sixshot leapt onto his back and pinned him to the floor.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “G-get off or I’ll impale you!!”  
Sixshot: (Slyly) “Give it a try, Gamatron…I want to see you do it.”  
  
_Gama erects his spikes, but Sixshot had lifted himself up and was now grasping onto the largest spikes to pin Gama more effectively to the floor; Gama squirms but can’t get up as Sixshot held onto him and used his weight to keep him pinned down.  
  
_ Sixshot: “Not exactly the best defence you have there, Gamatron…it makes holding you down far easier than if you didn’t have them there.”  
_  
Gama hisses as he felt Sixshot slip between his legs.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Purring) “Now take my load like a good little bitch and I’ll let you go home.”  
  
_Sixshot ejects his hose and forces it deep into Gama’s tailpipe and up into his port, being quick to begin the mating process. Gama growls and squirms harder, with Sixshot lifting Gama’s body off the floor by his spikes and slamming it back into the ground with full-force.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Growling) “No, you’re not going anywhere until I’ve planted my heap inside you.”  
  
_Gama moans sharply and tries to squirm free again, with Sixshot leaning down and biting Gama very hard on the back of the neck. Gama screams in agony and claws the concrete flooring, steadily lowering his body to rest against the ground with submission as Sixshot maintained his bite.  
Once Sixshot felt Gama was not going to struggle anymore, he released his bite and lifted himself back up to check if he’d accidently stabbed himself on a spike; he sighs with relief once he sees no spike wounds.  
_  
Sixshot: (Slyly) “Taking it like a good bitch now, aren’t you?”  
_  
Sixshot purrs and licks his lips, looking down at Gama in amusement. Seconds later he stops thrusting, catching whiff of another scent that he’d rather not have smelt; Humans.  
Law enforcement had shown up with (oddly) animal control, catching sight of Sixshot and Gama who had their little intimate conflict in the middle of a suburban cul-de-sac. Sixshot narrows his eyes and growls deeply as the police cars pulled up, with the officers getting out of their cars and looking in awe at the sight in front of them.  
  
_ Policeman: (VO) “When someone called about some monsters mating in their front yard, we thought it was bears! Not this!!”  
Policeman #2: (VO) “I don’t get paid enough to deal with this shit!”  
  
_The Animal Control van approaches and Sixshot roars loudly, clinging to Gama like a prized possession, causing the van to turn around and speed off back the way it came. The officers left behind un-holstered their weapons, taking aim at Sixshot._  
_  
_ Sixshot: (In Decepticon/Growling) “For Primus sake, I’m never going to give you my solder with these pests around!”  
Gama: (In Decepticon/Weakly) “And I thank Primus for that.”  
  
_Gama begins squirming again, with Sixshot keeping a tight hold of him; the two begin roaring at one another, with the police-officers backing away once things started to heat up again.  
Sixshot forcefully slams Gama’s body into the concrete again, roaring loudly, until Gama finally stopped struggling and allowed Sixshot to slowly begin the mating process again; Sixshot does not take his eyes off the lawmen, but he also refuses to stop mating with Gama.  
  
_ Gama: (In Decepticon/Weakly) “I-if you keep doing that to me…I won’t be able to carry your spawn anyway…you dumb bastard…”  
  
_Sixshot roars loudly at Gama making him stop talking. Instead of talking now, Gama began to moan and whimper as Sixshots hose finally erected its spikes and began to force him into releasing Unitron into his fusion cavity. Sixshot takes in a heave of air, shivering once he registered the scent.  
  
_ Sixshot: (In Decepticon/Slyly) “You’re actually pretty easy to get to cooperate, Gamatron…that little scent change just now? You’ve become receptive…” _  
  
Gama squints in shame but growls, looking behind him to Sixshot who was licking his lips as he looked down to make eye-contact with Gama.  
  
_ Sixshot: (In Decepticon/Seductively) “Either you’ve understood my little bargain…or you’ve become tempted by what our Spawn will be like…which one is it, Gamatron?”  
Gama: (In Decepticon/Hissing) “Neither.”  
Sixshot: (In Decepticon) “Oh? Well what is it?”  
_  
Gama moans sharply and closes his eye, his body engrossed in orgasm.  
  
_ Sixshot: (In Decepticon/Sighing) “Oh…you just wanted to have a good fuck.”  
  
_Sixshot mutters to himself and thrusts harder, making Gama return sharper and louder moans. Then, when Sixshot felt he was really going to impregnate Gama, the wind changed directions and Sixshot caught the scent of a Cybertronian; Shockwave.  
Shockwave roars loudly and rushes past houses so fast that he accidently breaks walls clean off; Sixshot turns to see what was going on, and to challenge Shockwave, but the scientist had already gotten too close for Sixshot to react. Before Sixshot could do anything, Shockwave had launched his claws at the Leader Class’ face, slashing him with so much force that Sixshot fell off Gama and released him.  
  
_ Sixshot: (In Decepticon/Hissing) “Y-you rotten son of a hellhound! I’ll gut you, Shockwave!!” _  
  
As Sixshot began to recover from the hit, Shockwave moved in for another attack; slashing his claws at him with fury and aiming for the face. Sixshot roars at Shockwave as he tries to block and avoid the attacks but finds himself being fully driven off by him instead.  
Once Sixshot was gone, Shockwave helped Gama up and grabbed as much of the supplies as he could carry, before escorting his shaken-up partner back to the nest, leaving the lawmen and citizens of the L.A Suburbs behind totally baffled by what had just happened.  
Back at the nest; Shockwave sits beside Gama doing minor repair work on his body, whilst Gama remained looking very sorry for himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Luckily the damage was minor, are you feeling any better?”  
  
_Gama nods but refuses to look at Shockwave, who stares at Gama with a worried look on his face.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Worried) “…Gama…talk to me.”  
  
_Shockwave moves in front of Gama, only for Gama to look away.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “…even at full strength and health, he still had his way with me.”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “Gama...”  
Gama: “I’m meant to be a Leader Class…stronger than Sixshot…but I couldn’t even put up a fight.”  
  
_Shockwave sits back beside Gama, wrapping an arm around his partner to comfort him.  
  
_ Shockwave: “…Sixshot is weaker than you are…but…right now you’re still vulnerable; you’re in maternal drive, your settings temporarily adjusted to nursing your Sparklings. At the moment you are not meant to fight.”  
  
_Gama turns to look at Shockwave, his head still low in shame.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Whispering) “Once the young are weaned your strength will come back, then Sixshot will be the one cowering.”  
Gama: “…so you’re not mad at me?”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “Of course not.”  
  
_Gama sighs heavily in relief, but still looks unhappy. Shockwave pats him on the back and stands up.  
  
_ Shockwave: “The Sparklings need to be fed and given a clean. If you feed them I’ll make you something to cheer you up, then I can clean them for you when you’re finished.”  
_  
Gama looks up at Shockwave, forcing a weak smile.  
_  
Gama: (Smiling) “…thanks Shockwave…for coming to help me.”  
Shockwave: (Softly) “Anytime, dear.”  
Gama: “I’m curious though Shockwave…how were you able to get Sixshot away? Surely you’re…you know…”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “Weaker than a Leader Class.”  
Gama: (Cautious) “So you understand why I’m curious? Not offended?”  
Shockwave: “I understand, one hundred percent. And I…think I might be able to answer your questions, if you have any.”  
  
_Shockwave sits back down beside Gama.  
  
_ Gama: (Meekly) “Only if you want to, I don’t need to know.”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “Give me some time to think over how to explain it…I’ll tell you everything in detail within a few days.”  
Gama: “That’s fine by me.”  
Shockwave: (Sighing) “Now…the Sparklings?”  
  
_Gama face-palms and gets up before walking towards the nest, muttering to himself. Shockwave follows close behind.  
Once Gama reached the nest the Sparklings were all making sounds of protest, having been playing rough and gotten dirty, and hungry. Gama sighs and throws himself down onto the floor on his side, before patting his abdomen loudly; the Sparklings stop making noise and rush to Gama, quick to begin feeding.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Chuckling) “Well that takes care of that noise.”  
  
_Gama chuckles lightly, his processor/stomach making a grumbling sound which startles the youngsters.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Oh…I nearly forgot to make you something.”  
Gama: (Sighing) “Well why are you still standing there? Go and do it now!”  
  
_Shockwave nods and bows repeatedly, ashamed of forgetting a simple task, before leaving Gama to continue feeding the young in peace.  
A few hours later, with everyone fed and comfortable, another task surfaced that Gama was not looking forward to doing; cleaning the Sparklings. The first to get cleaned was one of the more Shockwave-looking males, but as Gama began cleaning him he tasted amongst the dirt slight traces of blood; once the youngster was clean he quickly inspected it, finding it had been bitten rather badly and repeatedly by one of the others.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “Who’s been biting?!”  
  
_The Sparklings cower as Gama fixates his sights on them, baring his teeth. Shockwave takes the bitten youngster from Gama to clear up its wounds better, leaving Gama to discipline the others.  
  
_ Gama: (Snarling) “Who did it?!”  
  
_The Sparklings cower even more, with one shakily raising its hand. Gama picks the youngster up by the arm and lets out a fairly quiet roar (but it is loud to the youngsters). The Sparkling whimpers and begins to cry, with Gama refusing to let it go.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “Biting Mega is not acceptable! Why did you do it, Clank?!”  
Clank: (Meekly) “W-we were just playing…I…I got excited…”  
Shockwave: “He just got excited, Gama. Let him go.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “No; he needs to learn some self control.”  
Shockwave: “He’s still young; he’ll have learnt to be more careful just from that roar you gave him. No Sparkling wants to be roared at like that again, Gama.” _  
  
Gama mutters to himself and lets Clank return to the rest of the pack, finding it had been bitten on its back as well as it turned its back to him.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Hold on a second…was your bite from Mega?”  
Clank: (Whimpering) “…y-yes…”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “See? Just a little bit of rough play.”  
Gama: “I’m not convinced; I think one of them is being abusive, and is making Clank and Mega take the blame for his actions.”  
  
_Shockwave lets the first Sparkling go and picks up the one Gama just roared at, and begins cleaning it.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Muffled) “And *muffle* who would you *muffle* suggest did it?”  
Gama: (In Decepticon) “Neu; come here.”  
  
_Neu steps out of the pack, fidgeting with his hands and trying to look away from Gama.  
  
_ Gama: (In Decepticon) “Did you bite your brothers and make them take the blame for it?”  
Neu: (Nervous/In Decepticon) “…no…”  
Gama: (Growling/In Decepticon) “Don’t lie to me!”  
  
_Neu flinches as Gama grabs hold of him and hauls him up, quickly cleaning him and looking for any injuries.  
  
_ Gama: (In Decepticon) “You have no injuries or even scratches or bite marks, on you. If I find injuries on your other brothers, you’ll be exposed as lying and I’ll have to punish you.”  
  
_Neu looks away from Gama again, looking very sorry for himself._  
  
Gama: (Fatherly/In Decepticon) “You don’t want to go without Energon for a week, do you? A lie will give you that punishment whilst the truth will only give you detention…maybe…”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “…but I…”  
Gama: (In Decepticon) “Just tell me the truth.”  
  
_Neu looks up to Gama wearily, afraid to make eye-contact._  
  
Neu: (Nervous/In Decepticon) “…I bit them.”  
Gama: (Stern/In Decepticon) “Why?”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “…they wouldn’t listen to me, so I bit them and hit them until they did what I told them to do.”  
Gama: (Curious/In Decepticon) “Which was?”  
  
_Neu looks away again whilst Shockwave begins cleaning another youngster.  
  
_ Gama: (In Decepticon) “Come on Neu, you’re doing fine.”  
Neu: (Blushing/In Decepticon) “We found some nice rocks in the woods…I told them to bring them home for you.”  
_  
Gama blinks, raising a brow on confusion.  
  
_ Gama: (In Decepticon) “Rocks? What rocks?”  
Neu: (Nervous/In Decepticon) “Rocks that sparkle.”  
Gama: (In Decepticon) “And where did you find these ‘sparkling rocks’?”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “Pyro found them in a cave and told me, but they were stuck to the walls and we couldn’t break them off together. We needed Clank and Mega to help, since they’re the biggest.”  
Gama: (Nodding/In Decepticon) “But they wouldn’t help, so you bit them both.”  
  
_Neu nods and Gama sets him down, folding his arms and looking to Shockwave who was still cleaning one of the other youngsters.  
  
_ Gama: (Curious) “A cave with sparkling rocks? Sounds like either a mineral deposit or one very mysterious cave.”  
Shockwave: (Muffled) “Mineral deposits *muffle* around here are *muffled* fairly common.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Can you please stop licking the Sparklings when you talk?”  
  
_Shockwave stops cleaning the Sparkling and glares at Gama, his tongue still sticking out.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “N-never mind…”  
  
_Shockwave resumes cleaning the Sparkling.  
  
_ Gama: “I might go investigate this cave; it could have Energon sources inside.”  
Shockwave: (Muffled) “No; you’re *muffled* not going anywhere *muffle* without me. Sixshot *muffle* is still around.”  
_  
Gama tilts his head and sniffs, catching the feint scent of Sixshot nearby. Gama quickly counts the Sparklings around him, sighing with relief when all fourteen were present. Shockwave finished cleaning the Sparkling and stretches.  
  
_ Shockwave: “He won’t come near us right now, since I’m still here. If you wandered off now, he’d go after you again…and if I left the nest he’d kill all of the Sparklings.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Then come with me then, and bring the young with you.”  
Shockwave: (Growling) “Have you seen the sky? The time? It’s nearly morning.”  
Gama: “And?”  
Shockwave: (Pointing) “The Sparklings need to be in the nest and you need to be on top of it; they need to go offline for a few hours to rest.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “But the cave…”  
Shockwave: “…can wait until we’ve all rested. I’ll be keeping my audio receptors open for Sixshot, so you don’t need to worry and can rest yourself.” _  
  
Gama sighs heavily and lies down on the ground, muttering to himself, as Shockwave continued to clean each Sparkling one by one and placing them back into the nest for bedtime.  
  
_


	18. Thief in the Night

_The next morning the family moved to the cave to examine the ‘sparkling rocks’, which turned out to just be mineral deposits of little to no use for a Cybertronian; once the family was finished examining the cave they moved further south in the forest towards Los Angeles, before heading west through the smaller parks and suburbs and into Griffith Park.  
Shockwave had taken notice of how slowly Gama was moving, both on foot and in the air, and that he seemed to tire far easier than before. The journey to Griffith Park took twice as long as any normal trip would have, since they all had to stop frequently for Gama to catch his breath, but they still had a small trek to go before reaching a place that Shockwave thought would be safer for everyone from Sixshot.  
However, they had reached a problem; they needed to keep heading west, but to go any further they’d have to cross through densely populated areas again, only this time it was a lot closer to danger.  
Shockwave was able to carry around nine of the Sparklings by himself, leaving Gama to carry five, but with said partner becoming so slow and easily fatigued it was starting to look like they’d be stuck where they were for a bit longer. And to make matters worse, the park they where currently staying in was a tourist attraction, since it was ideal for hikers and those who wanted a good view of the city of Los Angeles.  
A few days pass with the family remaining in Griffith Park, with Gama and Shockwave being unable to go gathering minerals and other supplies because of two problems; one, Shockwave was concerned about Gama being left alone in his current condition and two, there were no small suburbs near the park so the harvester would need to trek into more populated areas…which risked gaining unwanted attention.  
Gama was able to recharge and keep his youngsters fed and even able to give Shockwave Energon to keep him healthy, but without the minerals Gama would become weaker and the Energon he’d be giving his youngsters wouldn’t be as nutritious. So Shockwave, having had enough time to think about how to explain to Gama how he was able to beat Sixshot, decided to ease some concerns and (hopefully) not raise any new ones.  
Gama was relaxed on the floor feeding the Sparklings, with Shockwave returning from a very brief trip to grab some metals from street signs; Shockwave tosses the metal onto the floor near Gama before sitting down and beginning to break up the metal into smaller fragments.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “…how are you feeling today, Gama?”  
  
 _Gama raises his head to see what Shockwave was doing, before resting it back on the floor again.  
  
_ Gama: (Muttering) “More rusty fragments…another night of scraps.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “It’s better than nothing at all, Gama. Now how do you feel?”  
Gama: “Exhausted; we won’t be moving today.”  
 _  
Shockwave scoops up some of the metal fragments and hands them to Gama, who was reluctant to take any.  
Gama was also rather reluctant to eat the fragments but he had little choice, so he quickly wolfed the metals down and cringed, disliking the taste.  
  
_ Gama: (Disgusted) “Ugh…where did you get this garbage?!”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “The street south-west of us; one of the signposts and some items the humans had dumped by it.”  
Gama: “Couldn’t you have waited for a car to pass by, and then ripped off the roof or something?”  
Shockwave: (Pointing) “I thought we both agreed on minimal interactions with the humans? If I did what you suggested they’d have had an excuse to call the Autobots, then we’d be in serious trouble.”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself, watching Shockwave also struggling to finish off eating the metal fragments.  
  
_ Gama: (Sighing) “I want to move today but…I don’t have the energy to do it.”  
Shockwave: (Confused) “But you’re fully charged.”  
Gama: “I know, but it makes no sense; I’m fully charged but don’t feel the energy to move.”  
 _  
Shockwave shuffles over to Gama and strokes his head, looking down at the Sparklings who were still feeding.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “Maybe that new processor Acidstorm gave you is still adjusting to your body…you know; not absorbing all the minerals yet?”  
Gama: (Sighing) “It’s been three to four weeks since he put it in there, and it worked perfectly since day one.”  
Shockwave: “Well…we’ll see how you feel tomorrow then.”  
  
 _The pair sits and lays in silence, until Shockwave taps Gama’s helmet to gain his attention.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “I thought I asked you, quite nicely too, not to tap the helmet like that?”  
Shockwave: “You did, but I just love doing it.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “You obviously wanted my attention…well now you have it; so out with it.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “I was going to tell you how I was able to beat Sixshot, but if you’re going to give me that attitude I won’t tell you at all.”  
  
 _Gama mutters to himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: “What was that?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “I’m sorry.”  
  
 _Shockwave chuckles lightly and pats Gama’s helmet, causing him to growl in annoyance.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Please tell me what you want to tell me…and stop touching the helmet.”  
  
 _Shockwave sighs and stops patting Gama’s helmet, and instead pats his mates hip.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “Well…I’ll start by asking you a question; what Breed of Decepticon am I?”  
  
 _Gama blinks and turns slightly to look up at Shockwave, thinking quietly as he looks him over.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Don’t know, do you? It’s alright, even Acidstorm didn’t know for a while.”  
Gama: (Confused) “But Acidstorm is always able to determine a breed and primary function…”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “Hence why I said ‘for a while’. He knows now.”  
  
 _Gama blinks as Shockwave sighs heavily, fidgeting with his claws nervously.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Meekly) “You have a right to know too…I just…hope this won’t change anything between us.”  
  
 _Gama squints his eye, suspecting something as Shockwave remained looking nervous.  
  
_ Shockwave: “I’m a Berserker; a Leader Class who desires not to Lead.”  
  
 _Gama blinks quietly for a moment, until fully understanding what Shockwave had told him; his eye widens, he begins to tremble, and he remained totally speechless.  
_  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “Acidstorm said he should have realised it sooner, with my facial marking and everything…”  
Gama: (Shocked) “Y-Y-You’re a LEADER CLASS?!”  
Shockwave: “Well…not er…exactly.”  
Gama: (Shouting) “A LEADER CLASS?!”  
  
 _The Sparklings become afraid at Gama’s shouting, and stop feeding to lower their bodies close to the ground to avoid his wrath.  
_  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “I told you, I’m a Berserker…”  
Gama: (Ranting) “No, no, no…all the Berserkers are dead…they’ve been dead for thousands of years; you’re a Leader Class.”  
Shockwave: “Gama, I’ve never been worthy enough to be a Leader; I am not the same breed as you are.”  
Gama: (Growling) “But you have the strength and the smarts to do it!”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “As is the traits of both of our breeds; the only difference between us is that you can lead a large group of Cybertronians and I cannot.”  
Gama: (Angry) “This fucking explains it…it explains everything! How you could pin me up against walls without me being able to fight back, how you could intimidate others who pissed you off, how you could beat Sixshot!”  
Shockwave: (Meekly) “Gama…it means nothing…”  
 _  
Gama roars at Shockwave angrily, with said Decepticon choosing to remain silently staring back.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Annoyed) “Are you angry because I never told you when we first met?”  
Gama: (Growling) “No; I’m furious as to how you could mate with me, when we’re both the same breed!”  
Shockwave: “Not the same breed; similar.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Whatever.”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “And if anything, it was better you and I mated with one another.”  
 _  
Gama snorts.  
  
_ Gama: (Sarcastically) “Oh yeah? Explain why.”  
Shockwave: “For a start; your eggs were double the size of normal ones, and hatched a month early, meaning they could grow quicker to a size were they could defend themselves. Second; because we’re similar breeds, the Sparklings are more pure-bred Leader Classes than if you mated with some common Decepticon Breeding Unit, which means they’re less likely to get sick or weak. Third; I love you, so very dearly, and I’m strong enough to do anything to protect you, and you’re strong enough to also protect me. My breed has meant nothing to either of us so far, it’s not affected us in any way, so why should that change now?”  
 _  
Gama looks away.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “…you loved me for who I was, not what I was. Why should that change now?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “…it won’t.”  
Shockwave: “Hm?”  
Gama: (Quietly) “I was worried is all…would you commit infanticide, turn traitor on me and kill me in my sleep, abandon me and the Sparklings?”  
Shockwave: (Shocked) “Never! I’d never do any of those things!”  
Gama: “I know.”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “There’s never any need to worry, Gama. A Berserker has always been close by to a Leader Class to protect them; it’s never been the other way around.”  
Gama: (Snobbishly) “Is that so? My father told me you questioned his authority a few times.”  
Shockwave: “…I was just a juvenile.”  
Gama: (Pointing) “He said something, along the lines of you saying: ‘if I was the leader, I’d have killed all the Autobots by the end of the year whilst you’ll still be sat on your backside’. The ‘if I was the leader’ part caught my interests.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “Gama, I was a juvenile; a Teenbot, raging with chemicals and as a Berserker I got urges to pick fights at that point in my life. I was just trying to provoke Megatron into fighting me.”  
Gama: “And now?”  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “My frenzy is expended when I defend others; I’m pretty sure you were still in a daze when I attacked Sixshot.”  
Gama: “Yes, I was. I only heard him cursing and screaming and you roaring.”  
Shockwave: (Sighing) “Well when Megatron confiscated my old War hammer, I resorted to using my claws in fights instead…and apparently when I slash out with them, it hurts a lot more than when I use to hit others with the hammer.”  
  
 _Gama chuckles, covering his mouth._  
  
Shockwave: (Confused) “What’s so funny?”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “You use to use a hammer as a primary weapon?”  
Shockwave: “Yes; the hammer end was the same length as your legs.”  
  
 _Gama coughs in shock.  
  
_ Gama: (Shocked) “You swung a hammer THAT big?!”  
Shockwave: (Nervously) “Yes, and because it was so big I broke a lot of things whenever I swung it…so Megatron confiscated it.”  
Gama: “I…see…”  
  
 _The pair sit in silence for a while, with the Sparklings steadily returning to feeding from Gama once the shouting had stopped._  
  
Gama: “Shockwave, I realised my worrying was for naught, since we’d been together for months and all you ever did was try to help me. My worrying was foolish, so I wish to apologise for my tone.”  
Shockwave: (Bowing) “No Gama, I should apologise to you; I should have told you I was a Berserker when we first met.”  
Gama: (Sighing) “Like you said; it means nothing…”  
  
 _Gama tries to sit up to kiss Shockwave, but just falls back onto his side, exhausted. It was a few minutes afterwards that Gama had just suddenly fallen asleep.  
That was when Shockwave noticed something; Gama’s breathing was fine, his eye looked fine, but the fact he had fallen asleep at such a peak-hour with plenty of sunlight to recharge baffled him. Shockwave shuffled the Sparklings from feeding, turned Gama onto his back and began examining his generator and solar-chargers, finding nothing wrong with them. He raises his brow in confusion and lightly forces open Gama’s solar panels, hoping he’d start to recharge and wake up; but nothing, not a hum, spark or glow came from the panels and generator.  
Shockwave flat-brows and examines Gama again, determined to find out why he wasn’t recharging when it was obvious he needed to. Neu cautiously approaches his parents, eyeing Shockwaves claws as he continued to examine his downed partner.  
  
_ Neu: (In Decepticon) “…is father still sick?”  
Shockwave: (In Decepticon) “Seems so, Neu.”  
Neu: “He’ll get better, won’t he?” _  
  
Shockwave lifts up Gama’s limbs and manoeuvres them to test his joints, hearing a feint grinding sound. They continue to speak in Decepticon.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “Hmmm…Not if we don’t get him some Cybertonium.”  
Neu: (Curious) “Cybertonium? What’s that?”  
Shockwave: “A rare mineral only found on Cybertron, usually it’s found in the other life forms on Cybertron as well as in caves in a raw state. The mineral keeps our joints healthy mainly, but it does aid our other systems.”  
Neu: (Meekly) “We can get some for father, can’t we?”  
 _  
Shockwave sighs.  
  
_ Shockwave: “I don’t know…the Autobots and Titrons will have some Cybertonium lying around at their bases, but I can’t just go and ask them for it…as for the Dweller eggs, well; Thundercracker made it quite clear that eating those was the main cause of Gamatron becoming sick to begin with.”  
Neu: (Whimpering) “So nothing else has the cyber-thingium in it?”  
Shockwave: (Pondering) “Well…usually eggs of other Cybertronians have a bit of Cybertonium inside, but I can’t leave you all here to go egg-snatching either.”  
  
 _Neu whimpers and clings to Gama’s snoozing arm and looking up at Shockwave as if he was about to cry.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “Neu…what did Gamatron tell you about giving looks like that?”  
  
 _Neu intensifies his expression, showing his sadness.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Groaning) “Alright…alright…I’ll go egg-hunting.”  
  
 _Neu chirps and clings to Gama, who steadily wakes up but remains lying on the floor.  
  
_ Gama: “Ugh…my head…”  
Shockwave: (Shocked) “G-Gama dear?”  
Gama: (Dazed) “What…happened? I wasn’t…finished…”  
Shockwave: “You’re still sick, Gama…you feinted from a lack of Cybertonium.”  
Gama: (Yawning) “Primus…”  
Shockwave: “You stay with the Sparklings and rest, I’m going to go and get some eggs to help you regain your strength.”  
  
 _Gama leans up to see Shockwave, but the giant had already departed to find some Cybertronian eggs as quickly as possible._  
 _Shockwave was incredibly fast to obtain some eggs, but there were not many in that batch he’d swiped to fully restore Gama’s health; the eggs Shockwave had recovered were common Combaticon eggs, since Gama had a strict disliking of ever consuming a Seekers (which are healthier and easier to obtain, unfortunately.)  
The eggs restored Gama enough for him to be able to stay awake and do minor tasks, but in order for Gama to be back to normal he needed something more substantial; either Cybertonium in its raw state or eggs more rich in the mineral (Dinobots, Triple-Changers and Seekers.)  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “Gama, you’re going to have to put aside your morals here…you need Cybertonium, a lot of it, and quickly.”  
Gama: (Stern) “It’s out of the question! I won’t do it!”  
Shockwave: (Pointing) “Dinobots breeding season is over; all the eggs will have hatched by now,  so you either eat one of the newborns OR you go for the Cybertronian that is still in breeding season; the Seeker.”  
  
 _Gama turns away from Shockwave, biting his knuckles nervously.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Your body was not fully developed to nursing Sparklings, so your Cybertonium levels will continue to hit rock bottom until they’ve been weaned; until then you need to have regular doses of---”  
Gama: (Quietly) “Enough…please…”  
  
 _Gama turns back to face Shockwave, still biting his knuckles.  
  
_ Gama: (Nervous) “…I’ll let you be the judge of what I should…consume…to replenish myself.”  
Shockwave: “So you’d have Seeker eggs, no questions asked?”  
Gama: (Quietly) “…I just…worry…they might be my sisters.”  
  
 _Shockwave freezes, remembering Shrieker was a female Seeker who had decided to become a Breeding Unit; it was highly likely she was brooding multiple nests, all with different fathers, meaning he could unknowingly be stealing eggs from her to feed to her half-brother.  
  
_ Gama: “…you see?”  
Shockwave: (Awed) “I do; I just can’t believe how stupid I was to not remember her.”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “Nobody remembers a breeding unit…well, excluding Crasher…everyone remembers him.”  
Shockwave: “I can try to catch a Dinobot Sparkling, but even as a Berserker it’s hard for me to fight off a fully grown adult Dinobot…and it would be harder to fight off an angry parent.”  
  
 _Gama sighs and sits back down, rubbing his arms to comfort himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: “And if you smell Sixshot…call me and I’ll be over right away.”  
Gama: (Smiling) “I’m sure after that strike to the face you gave him, he won’t be bothering us for a little while.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “Just in case, dear.”  
  
 _Gama nods to himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: “So will it be the Dinobot or the Seeker eggs?”  
Gama: (Sighing) “…surprise me.”  
  
 _Shockwave chuckles and pats Gama’s helmet, causing the Leader Class to growl deeply in disapproval, before taking his leave to obtain one of the two items Gama had chosen.  
Gama whistled to his Sparklings to all return to him, since he thought it would be nice to tell them a story for a change; the first thing he did was count how many of them there were.  
  
_ Gama: (Counting) “…nine…ten…eleven…twelve…thirteen…”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens; one Sparkling was missing. Not just any old Sparkling either, it was his heir; Neu.  
Gama begins calling for Neu in a panic, steadily getting more fatigued as the Cybertonium he had was not good enough for him, but Neu didn’t show himself or respond to the calls of his distressed parent.  
It turns out that Neu had hitched a ride on Shockwave without being detected, and once his father had landed he was careful to move away also without being detected; Shockwave had gone close by an Autobot Base on the southern most point of Los Angeles, having detected a vast amount of Dinobot youngsters and unprotected Cybertonium silos.  
Neu saw the entrance to the Autobot base and approached in awe, accidentally walking through a hidden detection beam which alerted security.  
Jazz was in charge of security at the Los Angeles base, but he was too distracted by an angry Kup to notice the security cameras or the warning displays of an intruder.  
Neu continued into the base, not exactly sure what Cybertonium even looked like, and he was so small that the Autobots barely even noticed him; it was by chance that an adult Daniel (Spike Witwicky’s son) had seen him waltz into the repair bay unattended.  
  
_ Daniel: (Smiling) “Well hey there little guy! What are you doing around here without your mother?”  
  
 _Neu blinks, unable to understand English clearly. Daniel stops doing repair work on an item he was working on and approaches Neu; an Energon Goodie in his hand.  
  
_ Daniel: “Did you miss out on the Energon treats Kup was giving out, hmm? Do you want one?”  
  
 _Neu blinks again and eyes the goodie, but just stares back at Daniel totally baffled.  
  
_ Neu: (In Decepticon) “Why are you giving me that? Is it Cybertonium?”  
  
 _Daniel blinks this time, unable to understand Decepticon at all._  
 _  
_Daniel: (Confused) “Wow…I might need to have an adult translate you…HEY! Wheeljack!”  
  
 _Neu squints as he hears clanging and crashing sounds, along with someone swearing very loudly in both Autobot and English; Wheeljack finally reveals himself, tangled in wires, through a back door._  
  
Wheeljack: (Angry) “What in Primus’ name do you want now?!”  
Daniel: (Annoyed) “Don’t swear in front of the kids, Wheeljack. And I called you in because this little guy doesn’t speak English, I was wondering if…” _  
  
Wheeljack mutters to himself and moves closer, removing wires from his body and kneeling down to Neu, who stares up at him; Neu began to feel afraid the closer Wheeljack got, and he soon started trembling.  
  
_ Wheeljack: “This isn’t one of our Sparklings; has a Titron been here and forgotten him?”  
Daniel: (Shrugging) “No idea. We could ask him but he doesn’t speak English.”  
  
 _Wheeljack rubs his faceplate, intrigued.  
  
_ Wheeljack: (Muttering) “Don’t speak English, huh? Well…what do you speak?”  
  
 _Neu stammers in his speech, unable to make any clear sentence even in Decepticon, but Wheeljack was quick to pick up what language he did speak and to take action. Wheeljack quickly picked Neu up and examined him closer, becoming highly interested._  
 _  
_Wheeljack: (Curious) “Speaks Decepticon, bears no Autobot qualities…and has those weird marking things that Perceptor said belongs to a Leader Class…or somethin’….”  
  
 _Daniel moves closer to Wheeljack as he began examining Neu more roughly, with the Sparkling biting his hands with aggression once he felt too uncomfortable; Wheeljack didn’t drop Neu, but fought hard against the pain of the bites to place him into a protective container instead.  
Neu was now trapped inside of a clear, plastic box; with Wheeljack muttering to himself and rubbing his sore and bitten hands.  
  
_ Daniel: “What going on?”  
Wheeljack: (Annoyed) “That ‘thing’ is probably the spawn of Gamatron, or Sixshot if he is still alive…”  
Daniel: (Confused) “But how did a Sparkling get all the way over here in Los Angeles? Last we heard of Gamatron’s migration he was heading to Death Valley.”  
Wheeljack: “Could have been a fake migration; they plot a course that way then moved down south on foot, it’s the only way they can get down here without us detectin’ them. It’d also explain the fuckin’ calls we keep getting’ about Decepticons breaking walls and courtin’ in public places.”  
  
 _Wheeljack taps a finger on the box, startling Neu, before turning to leave the room.  
_  
Wheeljack: (Stern) “No one touches that frickin’ box, understand?” _  
  
Daniel nods reluctantly, watching Wheeljack leave.  
Several hours pass, and Shockwave had returned to Gama with a baby Dinobot for dinner, only to come rushing back to the Autobot base to find Neu once he intercepted an Autobot transmission of his capture.  
Neu was trapped in the container, with Kup and Wheeljack keeping a close watch on the youngster along with several young Autobot Sparklings who had become curious to the noise.   
Kup approaches the container with Neu inside and taps his finger on it; startling Neu and causing him to stumble backwards.  
  
_ Kup: (Teasing) “Scrawny little thing, ain’t he?”  
Wheeljack: “He might be skinny now, but in three years he’ll be big enough to rip open your throat in a single bite…if Gamatron is feeding him properly.”  
  
 _Kup taps the container again as Neu stood up, causing him to fall again._  
  
Kup: (Muttering) “Lethal at age three…I can’t think of anything I’ve ever met before, that became so deadly so quickly, to a Cybertronian.”  
Voice: (Stern) “That’s because there isn’t anything else.”  
  
 _The group turn around and see Rodimus Prime stood in the doorway; the group step aside as he advances into the room, granting him easy passage towards the container and the Decepticon youth inside.  
Rodimus looks down at Neu who was trembling at the sight of him, before he became startled by Rodimus tapping the container himself in the same manner as Kup was.  
  
_ Rodimus: “So this is the ‘mighty’ Decepticon Leader Class Sparkling? Looks more like a starved Insecticon.”  
Wheeljack: (Nodding) “Gamatron may very likely not be feeding them properly…due to a limit in minerals he may have himself. The kids Energon levels are stable, but the Cybertonium and other metal-based minerals are low.”  
Rodimus: (Muttering) “If the mother starves, the children starve…looks like Shockwave didn’t stick around to help Gamatron after all.”  
  
 _Neu hisses sharply at the mention of Shockwaves name, perking Rodimus’ interests.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Teasing) “Ooh…he left you, didn’t he? He wasn’t a good father after all, was he?”  
Kup: “Err…actually Rodimus Prime…Shockwave was here a few hours ago…he killed a Dinobot Sparkling and took off with it; the scout just called us back saying he took it to Gamatron…”  
  
 _Rodimus bolts his attention to Kup.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Shocked) “What?! Why didn’t I hear about this?!”  
Wheeljack: “The report back only just came through a few minutes ago; we never had the chance to tell you.”  
  
 _Rodimus growls and looks back at Neu, a gleam in his eyes.  
  
_ Kup: (Quietly) “Perceptor called us this morning mentioning if we find any of the Sparklings, that we need to keep them alive for his research.”  
Rodimus: (Coldly) “Forget the research.”  
Wheeljack: (Angry) “Rodimus; you better not be thinking---”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “It’s…an enemy…a threat…”  
Kup: “But it’s just a kid…”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “In three years it could kill one of you if it caught you by surprise, and in five years it will be big enough to kill ANY of us if it made the effort! I’m not allowing Megatron’s filthy legacy or the Decepticon Leader Class breed to continue existing!”  
  
 _Rodimus opens the container and reaches inside to grab Neu, who tries to get away in a panic to no avail; Rodimus hauls him out and begins squeezing, preparing to crush him, causing the Sparkling to cry out for help with an ear-piercing screech.  
Neu continues his cry for help even as the pain he felt began to overwhelm him, steadily becoming limp within the Autobot Leader’s hands; he trembles, struggling to stay awake, until the sound of one loud crack caused the Sparkling to pass out and fall silent.  
The Autobots around Rodimus cringed from the loud crack followed by the silence, believing their leader just crushed the Sparkling to death; but Rodimus remained holding tightly onto the limp body of Neu, panting in anger as he could still feel the Sparkling breathing and weakly whimpering in his hands.  
  
_ Kup: (Cautious) “…is it dead?”  
  
 _Rodimus snarls down at the Sparkling as it weakly chirps, as if it was seeking mercy.  
  
_ Wheeljack: “No; he’s still alive…and I think you need to keep it that way, Rodimus.”  
  
 _Rodimus mutters to himself and releases his hold on Neu, allowing him to crash onto the floor from a great height with a heavy slam. The Autobot Sparklings who had been curious before move in closer to look at Neu’s limp and frail body, gently nudging and poking him with their hands and feet to see if he’d move.  
  
_ Wheeljack: (Stern) “Not only is he important to our research, but if Gamatron found out you’d killed his heir…”  
Kup: (Nodding) “He’d have a bigger reason to go after your head.” _  
  
Rodimus snorts and turns away, heading back outside the room without making eye-contact with anyone, leaving Wheeljack to recover the Sparkling carefully in his hands to assess the damages.  
  
_ Wheeljack: (Sighing) “Rodimus broke the kids left hip and both his legs…if this happened ‘out there’ the kid would be a goner.”   
Kup: “’Out there’? What are you talkin’ about?”  
Wheeljack: (Annoyed) “Back on Cybertron or in the Earth Wilderness; it happened in a captive environment where it can be easily repaired, but if it happened in the wild the kid would be Predacon chow if his parents couldn’t fix him.”  
 _  
Kup utters an ‘oooh’ before scratching his helmet, confused again, as Wheeljack took Neu to Ratchet who was nearby and supervised him at an operating table as he began repair work.  
Kup moves beside Wheeljack and looks down at Neu, who was whimpering and fighting the urge to cry.  
  
_ Kup: “…it’s not natural.”  
Wheeljack: (Curious) “What?” _  
_Kup: (Pointing) “It’s a kid, and it’s not even crying. All kids cry when they get hurt, at least the normal ones here do.”  
Ratchet: “Oh…you don’t know about Decepticon Leader Class rearing.”  
  
 _Kup mutters to himself about ‘not reading Perceptors junk for a book’.  
  
_ Ratchet: (Working) “After hatching; the mother would feed the Sparklings and clean them, but wouldn’t hug them or pet them. The only time she’d touch them is to feed, clean or shelter them from weather.”  
Kup: (Annoyed) “Maybe the ‘mother’ Perceptor watched didn’t give a shit about the kids to begin with.”  
Ratchet: “He only studied Gamatron and two others who were rearing Leader Class Sparklings, until Rodimus ordered them all to be killed; Perceptor had a lot of good information from all three of them.”  
Kup: (Muttering) “The old man would be mad though if his mate wasn’t looking after his kids.”  
Wheeljack: (Pointing) “It’s the ‘old man’s’ fault to frickin’ begin with. If he hears the kids cry, he roars at them to be quiet. He beats the female if she tries to reward the kid’s noise, by giving it any attention, so when they cry she has to sit around and wait for them to stop before she can clean or feed them.”  
Kup: (Stern) “That’s Preda-crap.”  
Ratchet: “The bruises Sixshot and Scorponok gave those girls were enough evidence to say otherwise.”  
Kup: (Annoyed) “Yeah, but---”  
Wheeljack: “---when subject A was nursing for Scorponok, and one of the kids cried, she went to hug it like any good mother would. But Scorponok wasn’t having any of that; he beat her and then killed his own kid.”  
  
 _Kup remains silent.  
  
_ Ratchet: “Sixshot was exactly the same, if not far worse; it’s a good thing he’s dead.”  
Wheeljack: (Quietly) “…Scorponok is still under assessment and Gamatron is still ‘out there’ though.”  
 _  
Ratchet nods and finishes up repairing Neu’s hip and begins work on the leg.  
  
_ Ratchet: “I can’t see Scorponok staying alive either, really. Rodimus Prime was judging the Leader Classes by how they treated their own kin, and with Sixshot slaughtering all but two of his Sparklings it was certain he’d get the chop first.”  
Kup: (Nodding) “Yeah, that’s true…”  
Wheeljack: (Stern) “Scorponok may have only killed one of his kids, but Rodimus is still tryin’ to have him declared too dangerous to live in modern Cybertronian society. And you know what happens to Cybertronians who fall too far into the ‘primitive’ category.”  
Kup: (Cringing) “Exile or death…”  
Wheeljack: “As for Gamatron, well…he killed one of his own kids too, and Rodimus wants him dead for more reasons than just that.”  
  
 _Kup leans in closer, becoming more interested, with Ratchet stopping the repairs for a brief moment to hear Wheeljack too.  
  
_ Wheeljack: (Quietly) “He wants Megatron’s bloodline wiped out, because that bloodline killed his father; Optimus Prime.”  
Ratchet: “I remember hearing about when Galvatron killed him; that was before that incident with Crasher, right?”  
Kup: (Nodding) “Yeah, I was there when it all went down; things got bad real quick, and Rodimus felt helpless to stop Galvatron from killing his old man. It makes sense that he’d want to put out that family line, but it doesn’t make it right.”  
Wheeljack: (Stern) “Exactly. Rodimus needs to let go of the past and needs to assess Gamatron without all that shit cloudin’ his judgement.”  
  
 _Ratchet finishes repairing Neu’s leg and wraps the Sparkling up in a cloth to keep it warm.  
  
_ Wheeljack: “When Gamatron finds out his heir is missing, I wonder what he’ll do; he can’t come looking for him because he has to keep tending his other kids, and Shockwave would murder all of us if he found out what just happened.”  
Ratchet: (Nervous) “Yikes! I nearly forgot the Berserker was harder to reason with when it came to its Sparklings…”  
Kup: (Confused) “Wait…what? Who’s hard to reason with about what?”  
Ratchet: (Quietly) “Shockwave’s a Berserker breed, right?”  
Kup: “Yeah.”  
Ratchet: (Pointing) “Well if Gamatron came for the Sparkling, he’d throw a fit of anger as he tries to get it back, but wouldn’t do anything else once he got hold of it. Shockwave on the other hand, would come back after taking the Sparkling somewhere safe, and would kill all of us.”  
  
 _Kup falls silent.  
  
_ Wheeljack: “I’m hoping Shockwave doesn’t figure out the kid is here…I didn’t like seeing him behind bulletproof glass, but I’d hate to see him without it between me and him even more.”  
Ratchet: (Shuddering) “That single, cold, burning optic…the same red as human blood…you see death just looking into it…”  
Wheeljack: (Cringing) “I know, right.”  
Ratchet: “Imagine seeing that in the night; just you staring at it and it staring back at you…then the thud of those massive clawed feet and the sight of it getting closer, the deepness of that growling…”  
Wheeljack: (Nervous) “Stop it, you’re creeping me out.”  
Ratchet: (Whimpering) “Octane mentioned to Sideswipe and Sunstreaker about an encounter he had with Shockwave once, when the power went out at the Spacebridge chamber…the way he described it sounded like one of those human horror movies.”  
 _  
Ratchet shudders as Kup mutters to himself.  
  
_ Wheeljack: “I don’t think I heard that one…”  
Ratchet: (Muttering) “Well I can tell you it now if you have the guts to hear it…”  
Wheeljack: (Yelling) “NO. You’ve scared me enough today!”  
Ratchet: (Shuddering) “I can just see him now…clawing out of the shadows; his claws drawn, his teeth bared at me…”  
Wheeljack: (Annoyed) “Stop that.”  
Ratchet: (Whimpering) “Acidstorm told me that a Leader Class tries to kill its victims quickly…but a Berserker draws out the attack to enjoy it more…”  
Wheeljack: (Yelling) “FUCKING STOP IT ALREADY, RATCHET!”  
  
 _Ratchet whimpers and fiddles with his fingers, trying to avoid making eye-contact. Kup mutters to himself again and leaves the room to return the Sparklings to their parents, leaving the two medics/scientists with Neu.  
Wheeljack checks over the weakened but repaired Neu, cleaning up around the temporary bandaging on the youngsters leg, before pausing once he heard a loud sound followed by deep breathing.  
  
_ Wheeljack: (Annoyed) “Ratchet, stop with the trying to scare me shit!”  
Ratchet: (Shocked) “….that’s not me.”  
  
 _Wheeljack raises a brow and stares at Ratchet, who was looking at something behind Wheeljack in terror; Wheeljack shrugs it off and continues tending to Neu’s bandaging until feeling something drip onto his head, followed by deep snarling growls. Ratchet’s eyes widen in panic, but he looks so terrified he could hardly move. Wheeljack focused on Ratchet’s chest-plate to catch a reflection of whatever was behind him, only to wish he hadn’t.  
Shockwave was towering above Wheeljack from behind; breathing heavily and snarling at Ratchet; Wheeljack thought for a moment as to why Shockwave was more focused on Ratchet and not on him, as he was the closest to the Sparkling and not Ratchet.  
Then it hit him.  
  
_ Perceptors Voice: (Wheeljacks Thoughts) “If one makes eye-contact with a Berserker, whilst it is in an offensive position, it will enter a trance until eye-contact is broken. Once eye-contact is broken, the Berserker will launch its attack on the one it made eye-contact with first.”  
  
 _Wheeljack realised that if he distracted Ratchet, then eye-contact he currently had would be broken, and that would mean Shockwave would come out of his trance and attack them both; Ratchet may have been the first to make eye-contact with the Berserker, but Wheeljack was much closer AND had the Sparkling.  
Shockwave continued to release deep growls, panting heavily and salivating from the rush back to the Autobot Base he’d just done; Wheeljack twitched as more drips from Shockwaves mouth landed on him, but he was thankful that Ratchet was too terrified to take his eyes off of Shockwave to look.  
  
_ Wheeljack: (In Thought) “Shit…someone…come in here and get his attention…quickly…”  
 _  
Ratchet twitches, taking a step back but keeping his eyes on Shockwave’s single eye.  
  
_ Wheeljack: (In Thought) “No you idiot; don’t move!!”  
  
 _Shockwave breaks his snarl and opens his mouth, releasing a low threatening growl which makes Ratchet step back again and hit the wall behind him; the single tap against the wall made Ratchet break eye-contact for a split second, but that was all that was needed to break Shockwave out of his hypnotic trance.  
Suddenly, in almost an instant of the connection being broken, Shockwave roared and threw himself over Wheeljack and leapt for Ratchet; Wheeljack was quick to pick up Neu and rush from the room, with Ratchet quick to follow behind him.  
Once the pair of them had left the room, they quickly forced the door shut and tried to keep Shockwave on the other side of the door; Rodimus had returned from his little walk to see Wheeljack and Ratchet struggling to keep the repair-bay door closed, and decided to investigate what they were trying to do.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Confused) “Normally you try to stop patients running away by keeping the door closed on the other side…”  
Ratchet: (Frantic) “It’s S-Shockwave!! He’s inside!!! BLOOD FURY!!!”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “Shockwave?!”  
  
 _Rodimus pushes the two aside with Wheeljack keeping a tight hold on Neu. Rodimus opens the door only to be greeted by locking eye-contact with Shockwave, putting him into a trance dangerously close to Rodimus’ face; breaking eye-contact here would mean Shockwave could easily savage him.  
_  
Wheeljack: (Panting) “Don’t move, Rodimus…don’t break eye-contact.”  
Rodimus: (Slowly) “…this…is…why…I…hate…Shockwave…”  
  
 _Rodimus squints his eyes slightly as Shockwaves hot breath hit his face, slightly weakening the trance Shockwave was put under enough for the Berserker to bear his teeth and roar again.  
The roar awakens Neu, who begins to chirp but not cry, causing Shockwave to turn his head slightly to Neu’s direction; Wheeljack and Ratchet cower as Shockwave breaks eye-contact with Rodimus and locked his sights on them, granting Rodimus the opportunity to leap at Shockwave and tackle him onto the floor.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Shouting) “Run you idiots!!”  
  
 _Wheeljack and Ratchet split up and run in opposite directions, with Shockwave slashing out at Rodimus face, stunning him enough to get free; once Rodimus was off his body, Shockwave scouted out Wheeljack.  
The Berserker locked on to his target and began pursuit; chasing Wheeljack through the base and out into the open, where he sprung into the air and tackled the scientist to the floor. Neu slipped out of Wheeljacks hands and fell to the ground, with Shockwave immediately rushing to recover him.  
Once Neu was safely in his father’s arms, Shockwave secured him and turned on Wheeljack again; bearing his fangs and growling deeply as a warning, before fleeing the instant Rodimus Prime rushed outside.  
Rodimus was rubbing his face, as Shockwave landed a powerful slash onto the right side of it and had left a pretty deep cut.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Angry) “Another reason I hate Shockwave! That bastard!”  
  
 _Wheeljack gets to his feet, still in a state of shock at his potential near-death experience, before rushing to Rodimus to tend to his wound once he had recovered.  
  
_ Wheeljack: “We were lucky…VERY lucky.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “I want to know how he got inside without the security alarm going off.”  
Wheeljack: (Muttering) “Don’t you care about why he didn’t kill anyone?”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “Forget why he didn’t kill any of us now, I need to make sure he can’t come back to try it again later! Acidstorm told us both that Shockwave would come back repeatedly, to attempt to kill us, until he was certain about us leaving him and his family group alone.”  
  
 _Wheeljack assists Rodimus inside, still tending to his wound.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Muttering) “He wasn’t caught on camera, he didn’t trip any of the detection barriers…how on Earth or Cybertron did he get inside without being detected at all?!”  
Wheeljack: “Maybe the security systems malfunctioned?”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “You don’t get it Wheeljack; the only way in this complex is through that front door, and there is a camera filming it twenty-four seven. I was with Jazz in the Security room the whole time until I saw you two messing around with the repair bay door; Shockwave didn’t come through the ONLY entrance and exit! The camera’s didn’t see him, the detection barriers didn’t see him, even the patrols in the corridors didn’t see him!”  
  
 _Wheeljack falls silent, totally baffled.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Growling) “I want to know HOW; so I want you and Ratchet to call up Acidstorm, get his thrusters down here, and to find out HOW.”  
  
 _Rodimus forces himself away from Wheeljack.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “You’ve got three days to get Acidstorm down here and to begin work; we need to get this security issue resolved quickly before Shockwave decides to come back and murder us all in our sleep!”  
  
 _Elsewhere, back at the temporary nesting site; Shockwave had returned Neu to Gama and was tending to feeding Gama his Dinobot Dinner, leaving Neu to recover in the nest alongside his brothers.  
Once Gama had eaten the Dinobot and was left to rest for a few minutes, Shockwave assisted his mate as he climbed back over the nest to warm up the youngsters inside and to protect them with his body.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “We need to relocate as soon as possible, Gama…otherwise I’ll need to go back to that hellhole to get a message into their heads; a message I really don’t think I should give them.”  
 _  
Gama adjusts himself on the nest, licking his fingers of any Dinobot remains, whilst eyeing Shockwave snobbishly.  
  
_ Gama: “No harm in killing a few of them, Shockwave.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “But you know what they’re like; kill one and they start a head-hunt…if I got caught they’d skin my chassis whilst I was still alive.”  
Gama: (Slyly) “But kill ten and they start to become afraid.”  
 _  
Shockwave thinks quietly to himself and looks at his claws, noticing remains of blood from the slash he gave Rodimus were still on them.  
  
_ Gama: (Nodding to claws) “Killing is in our nature, Shockwave. Don’t be ashamed of it.”  
Shockwave: (Coldly) “I’ve not killed another Cybertronian for thousands of years, Gama. It’s something I’ve been good to avoid doing.”  
Gama: “Oh, why is that?”  
Shockwave: (Muttering) “When a Berserker gets one kill, they crave for more. It’s a habit I struggled to break and I don’t intend on getting back into it.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Oh come on!”  
Shockwave: “What?”  
  
 _Gama points to the remains of the baby Dinobot he just had for dinner.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blinking) “…oh.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “You killed just the one, didn’t go after another did you? Stop being ludicrous!”  
 _  
Shockwave looks away from Gama and lightly licks the blood from his claws.  
  
_ Gama: “You’re tough, Shockwave, but to me you’re like a bear…cuddly, cute, smart…”  
Shockwave: (Muffled) “Bears are also killers.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “True, but they don’t kill without a reason. And to my optic you’ll always be in control.”  
  
 _Shockwave finishes cleaning off his claws and turns back to look at Gama.  
  
_ Gama: (Softly) “You’re my big, strong, lovable bear; Shockwave. If you feel the need to maul a few Autobots to make you feel your family is safer; you should go and do it.”  
  
 _Shockwave nods lightly.  
  
_ Gama: “I should be stronger tomorrow for us to move, but like I said; there is no harm in striking a bit of fear into the Autobots to put them off the idea of trying to find us again.”  
  
 _Shockwave nods again, flexing his claws.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “I have Rodimus scent now, so I could find him and eliminate him if you desire it.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Denied; Rodimus Prime is MY kill. Find another target.”  
Shockwave: (Sighing) “The only scents I have are of Rodimus Prime, the Dinobot mother, Wheeljack, Ratchet and Springer.”  
Gama: (Pondering) “Hmmm…you don’t want to take out their medics…or the alpha.”  
Shockwave: (Stern) “Wheeljack had his hands on Neu when I recovered him.”  
  
 _Gama and Shockwave lock eye-to-eye, silently exchanging stares, before Gama nods.  
  
_ Gama: “Take him out.”  
  
 _Shockwave nods back, getting to his feet and stretching his arms and back, before opening up a control panel on one of his forearms and using the small keyboard inside.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Distracted) “Manipulating the Space Bridges power like this is taxing, I admit, but now I can go anywhere you want me to within a few seconds.”  
Gama: (Smugly) “Told you it was a good idea.”  
  
 _Shockwave chuckles and closes the control panel, before jumping and being transported to his next destination._  
 _Back at the Autobot base; Ratchet and Wheeljack had finally gotten Acidstorm over to discuss how Shockwave could have breeched security.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Pondering) “He didn’t walk through the entrance…he lacks Skywarps teleport ability…there’s no Dweller tunnels around here…to be honest; I’m at a loss for an explanation.”  
Ratchet: (Sighing) “Great…we’ve been here discussing this for an hour already and we’ve made no progress.”  
Acidstorm: “Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”  
Wheeljack: (Annoyed) “Frickin’ Shockwave was always a smartass; he probably hacked the Cybertronian network and took data on Skywarps Warp ability and made some kind of…warp device…”  
 _  
Acidstorm clicks his fingers.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Shouting) “That’s it!! OH PRIMUS! How could we be so stupid?”  
  
 _Wheeljack and Ratchet flat-brow at Acidstorms statement.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “He hacked the Space Bridge and is manipulating the flow of teleportation waves; all we have to do is reprogram the Space Bridge with a new code, then his device that’s manipulating it will stop working!”  
Ratchet: (Shrugging) “That actually makes no sense to me.”  
Wheeljack: (Annoyed) “But reprogramming the entire Space Bridge grid could take hours, if not days, to complete! Shockwave could come back before that even finishes!”  
Acidstorm: “Oh relax; as long as he didn’t catch you with the Sparkling in your hands he won’t come back to target anyone!”  
  
 _Wheeljack falls deathly quiet.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Errr…was it something I said?”  
  
 _There is a loud sound, causing the trio to scout the room for what caused it, only to see nothing.  
  
_ Wheeljack: (Twitching) “…he saw me, Acidstorm.”  
Acidstorm: (Chuckling) “Oh my…that’s not good is it?”  
Ratchet: (Angry) “This is no laughing matter, Acidstorm! Shockwave will come back to kill Wheeljack!”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “You’re forgetting something; a Berserker does not kill quickly, and as long as both of us are here Wheeljack will have assistance.”  
Shockwave: (VO) “I don’t kill quickly? That’s a lie.”  
  
 _The trio turn in their seats to look behind them, seeing Shockwave stood in the doorway to the repair bay; flexing his claws.  
Wheeljack locks vision with Shockwave, who quietly stares back still flexing his claws.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “Errr… Shockwave…how um…nice of you to drop by…”  
Shockwave: (Coldly) “Before I break your neck, Autobot, tell me who broke Neu’s leg.”  
  
 _Wheeljack freezes, too afraid to speak or move.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Angry) “Hey don’t ignore me!”  
Shockwave: (Snarling) “You have no important information; be silent!”  
Acidstorm: (Pointing) “Actually, I know who broke poor Neu’s leg; it was Rodimus Prime.”  
  
 _Shockwave roars, slamming the repair bay door behind him and locking it from the inside before making his approach to the table the trio were sat at, causing Ratchet to panic and fall from his seat.  
  
_ Ratchet: (Frantic) “Oh Primus! He’s going to kill us and drink our Energon blood!!”  
  
 _Shockwave stops his approach and cringes._  
 _  
_Shockwave: (Disgusted) “Don’t be so disgusting, Autobot…”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “But you’ve still come to kill us.”  
Shockwave: (Pointing) “The only one I want is Wheeljack; you two will just have a beating.”  
  
 _Shockwave approaches again locking vision with Wheeljack who remained seated, too afraid to move. Shockwave slams his claws onto the table in front of Wheeljack and claws back, still keeping eye-contact and growling deeply.  
Wheeljack sweats in a silent panic, with Shockwaves bloodlust growing the more panicked Wheeljack became; this alone caught Acidstorms interests.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Curious) “I see…your bloodlust responds to your targets perspiration.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “What garbage. When Gama was sweating buckets as I mated him, I never wanted to kill him.”  
Acidstorm: (Pointing) “No, you just fucked him harder.”  
Shockwave: “And perspiration does not increase my bloodlust; being around MORONS does that.”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “Actually I noticed the more Wheeljack began to sweat and pant, the more dilated your optic became, and the more you bared your fangs.”  
Shockwave: (Growling) “My bloodlust is rising right now with your incessant jabbering!!”  
  
 _Shockwave roars and turns on Acidstorm, quickly leaping over the table and knocked him from his seat, and slamming his hands on the ground beside both sides of Acidstorms head.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Nervous) “I-I…I’ll be quiet…alright?”  
  
 _Shockwave roars loudly within inches of Acidstorms face, causing him to cower as the Berserker forcefully slammed his claws into the ground repeatedly until Acidstorm began to curl up in fear.  
Shockwave snarls as he hears Wheeljack getting out of his seat to make a run for it, and turns on him instantly; Shockwave leapt at Wheeljack in a single bound, slashing at his legs to trip him over, allowing Shockwave to pin him to the floor.  
Wheeljacks life began to flash before his eyes as Shockwave prepared to make the kill, but the attack was not successful for one very important reason; Wheeljack maintained eye-contact with Shockwave even as the Berserker fought against the trance as hard as he could, but until Wheeljack severed the connection or someone else caught Shockwaves attention then Wheeljack was safe.  
Acidstorm got back onto his feet and sneaked out a sedative pistol, trying not to alert either Shockwave or Wheeljack.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (In Thought) “Now where was the best spot to sedate him again? Primus…I’m shaking…if I screw this up I’m going to be next on his hit-list…”  
  
 _Acidstorm swallows deeply as he took aim at Shockwave, trembling in fear so much that the pistols aim was constantly shaking between a clean shot at Shockwaves neck and a poor shot at his backside.  
Acidstorm closed his eyes as he finally pulled the trigger, hearing Shockwave roar from the shock of the sedative hitting his body; Acidstorm was afraid he’d shot Shockwave in the wrong spot, and refused to open his eyes or lower the gun. What followed after the roar was the sound of the repair-bay door being blasted open, sounds of gunfire and Shockwave yelling in rage quickly following after that.  
Acidstorm slowly opened his eyes to find Shockwave had been effectively sedated, and was lying in a state of cyber-sedation on the ground with heavily armed Autobots keeping their guns locked on him in case the drug wore off.  
  
_ Rodimus: (VO) “So he did come back…”  
  
 _Acidstorm lowers his head as Rodimus enters the room, taking a quick glance at Wheeljack who was in a state of shock as he was helped up by Ratchet.  
Rodimus nudges Shockwaves body gently with his foot, with the Berserker being not entirely asleep yet.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Stern) “Acidstorm, Ratchet, Wheeljack; how did he get back inside without tripping any of the security systems?”  
Ratchet: (Nervous) “W-well…um…”  
Acidstorm: (Meekly) “He’s been manipulating the Space Bridges energy waves; hacking the system to teleport wherever he wants, whenever he wants. He needs a lot of Energon to do it though.”  
  
 _Rodimus looks down at Shockwave with disgust.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Growling) “You had a chance to go back to Gamatron and relocate in peace, but you instead came back here to extract some form of revenge? What kind of Decepticon are you?!”  
  
 _Acidstorm regains his composure and approaches Shockwave, forcefully lifting up his head so Rodimus could see it better once he was certain the Berserker was sleeping.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Stern) “This will answer your question, Rodimus.”  
  
 _Rodimus raises a brow as Acidstorm yanked off Shockwaves helmet; revealing the black marking on his face was not a mask, but was in fact a natural pigment in his Cybertronian ‘skin’.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “He’s a Berserker; a breed of Decepticon that is very closely related to the Decepticon Leader Class breed.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “If he was related to a Leader Class; Gamatron would never have mated with him, and more importantly he’d never have allowed Shockwave to live beside him.”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “If you took the time to READ Perceptors book on Decepticon Breeds, you’d know that a Berserker does not desire to lead and therefore is not seen as any direct threat to the Alpha Male. Shockwave did what instincts told him; come back to kill the ones who brought harm onto his offspring, to prevent it happening again.”  
Rodimus: “And the failure here means he’ll be back if we let him go.”  
  
 _Acidstorm sighs and nods his head.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “That is true, Rodimus.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Why wasn’t Shockwave neutralised then if he’s under the Leader Class Breed category?”  
Acidstorm: (Muttering) “Berserkers are a totally different breed, they just have some similarities.”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “Regardless of that fact; why wasn’t he neutralised?! He’s clearly got the same hot temper, brute strength and foul social skills of a Decepticon Leader Class!”  
Acidstorm: (Yelling) “Because he’s a Berserker!! The LAST Berserker!! We have no idea how he’ll respond to that ‘treatment’!”  
  
 _The room falls deathly quiet.  
  
_ Rodimus: “…he’s the last one?”  
Acidstorm: (Angry) “Berserkers never lived long lives; Shockwave is lucky to have lived this long, let alone be able to pass on his Robonetics to a new generation. If we neutralise him, we’ll in effect kill off the chances of any future Berserkers being born and as I previously stated; Berserkers pose little to no threat to an Alpha Male of the Decepticons, very little threat to other Breeds too, and only ever attack Autobots or other life forms if they or their young are in some form of danger.”  
  
 _Rodimus lowers his head in deep thought._  
  
Acidstorm: “The moment he found out someone had brutally attacked his young was the moment he vowed to come back and attack; like the Leader Class, his scent glands are much larger than any other breed and he can store, register and detect scents and other smells from long distances.”  
Rodimus: (Quietly) “…what is his major weakness?”  
Acidstorm: (Confused) “Excuse me?”  
Rodimus: (Pointing) “Weaknesses. Every creature has a weakness, and I want to know what his are.”  
Acidstorm: “But…why do you need to know that when you’ve already got him apprehended?”  
  
 _Rodimus mutters to himself, glaring coldly at Acidstorm.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “Never mind then…his major flaw is depth perception; he can smell you at a distance away but cannot SEE you unless you’re fairly close. If you ran directly at him, head on, he cannot decipher when the correct moment to attack will be. Also, staring into his optic without breaking the line of vision puts him into a trance, so he could easily be attacked by others nearby.”  
Rodimus: (Stern) “Now the strengths.”  
  
 _Acidstorm rubs the back of his head and begins reciting to himself first for confirmation._  
 _  
_Rodimus: (Annoyed) “I’m waiting.”  
Acidstorm: “Excellent scent glands, you already know…fear-induced temporary-paralysis from multiple roars…highly intelligent…very powerful bite and upper arms are articulated so effectively that he can slash his arms at high-speeds without dislocating them. He’s not as strong as a Leader Class, but he’s much faster and more agile…so if he attacks at close range, you’re as good as dead.”  
 _  
Rodimus nods.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Nodding) “And now Gamatron; the Leader Class. Strengths and Weaknesses.”  
  
 _Acidstorm remains silent, glaring at Rodimus as if suspecting something.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Growling) “Now.”  
Acidstorm: (Reluctantly) “…strengths…excellent scent glands again, fear-induced temporary-paralysis from one roar…highly intelligent and coordinative, leadership skills…vision of the Leader Class is usually excellent, but Gamatron’s missing optic means he has the same problem as Shockwave…bites are so powerful that amputation or total reconstruction of a limb is the only solution to the damage such bites cause…and let’s not forget the brute strength…”  
Rodimus: “Go on.”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “Nothing else to add really…other than he’s much slower than Shockwave and isn’t as agile as him. If you can get around him quickly enough he won’t be able to get hold of you, for you see that is the Leader Classes major advantage; if he gets a good grip on you, especially with his fangs, you’ll have little options to get free of the bite other than cutting off your own arm or leg.” _  
  
The Autobots in the room cringe.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Nodding) “Now Weaknesses.”  
Acidstorm: “I just mentioned some; he’s slower than Shockwave and is not as agile and he can’t see that well either with just one optic.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “But there has to be more.”  
Acidstorm: (Meekly) “Well…there…is…but I don’t think---”  
  
 _Rodimus mutters to himself, rubbing his face tiredly.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Sighing) “Vector Sigma…Acidstorm, I’ll make a deal with you; you tell me every shred of information on Gamatron’s breed and I’ll let you take Shockwave back to your home base to do as you please with him. How does that sound?”  
Acidstorm: (Nodding) “Y-yes! That sounds wonderful!!”  
Rodimus: “Good. Now the information.”  
  
 _Acidstorm clears his throat.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “A Leader Class becomes disorientated if you mix your scent with a compound of other scents, meaning he’d be easy to attack. Also, if you make a lot of noise it can throw off his aim should he be using any weapons.”  
Rodimus: (Nodding) “I see.”  
Acidstorm: (Pointing) “Making a Leader Class angry can both be advantageous and also heavily dangerous; they get so angry they don’t think before doing anything, which means they become careless…however, this also makes them unpredictable.”  
Rodimus: “Noted, now carry on.”  
Acidstorm: “He’ll fight dirty, so you shouldn’t be afraid to fight dirty either; do what needs to be done to protect yourself and to punish him. If he kicks sand in your optics, poke him in the optics…err…optic…or kick him in the ball-bearings.”  
Rodimus: (Blinking) “…savage but…if you say so.”  
Acidstorm: (Sighing) “Fighting in the open is a very bad idea since he can gain momentum in wide valleys to attack with more speed, making his hits harder and more painful. Fighting in an enclosed space means this cannot happen, and he’s also not able to get away, but it also increases your risks of being bitten badly or him hiding in the terrain to ambush you…after all; Leader Class Decepticons are Ambush Predators compared to their Quick-Chase cousins.”  
  
 _Rodimus Prime blinks.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “That’s YOU, Rodimus. Gamatron would rather hide out then attack when his prey is not expecting it, unlike you where you rush into the open to confront your target.”  
Random Autobot: (VO) “How dare you compare Rodimus Prime to a Decepticon!!”  
Acidstorm: (Shouting) “I didn’t!! It’s a minute similarity!!”  
Rodimus: “Enough…let Acidstorm continue.”  
Acidstorm: (Bowing) “Thank you, Rodimus Prime, but there is nothing else I really need to tell you.”  
Rodimus: “…oh.”  
Acidstorm: (Curious) “Why are you so interested in the strengths and weaknesses of these two? Don’t tell me you plan on confronting Gamatron.”  
Rodimus: (Nodding) “I do. I’ve constructed a plan to get Gamatron where I want him, to end it once and for all. I just needed Shockwave out of the picture before then, so you’re free to take him back to base along with any of the…offspring…we happen to find.”  
Acidstorm: (Pointing) “You’ll give us them alive, and safely.”  
  
 _Rodimus nods and shakes hands with Acidstorm.  
  
_ Rodimus: “In exchange for the offspring, we’ll require three things from your group.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervously) “Errr…sure?”  
Rodimus: “Item one; we want to control what happens to Gamatron’s ‘remains’ when I’m through with him; we want to be certain he’s destroyed. No exceptions.”  
  
 _Acidstorm reluctantly nods.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Item two; Shockwave and all of Gamatron’s male offspring can keep their ball-bearings. But we want to ensure any breeding involving any of them is strictly monitored; we don’t want another Gamatron or Megatron to surface ever again.”  
Acidstorm: (Confused) “I don’t see how that is possible…”   
Rodimus: “Arranged mating partners; they won’t have free picks on who they can court and mate with. They also will be limited to a certain number of offspring.”  
  
 _Acidstorm falls deathly quiet, almost in disbelief.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Now the final item; I want Thundercracker replaced. We KNOW he’s lied to us about Sixshot; and nobody, especially I and Kup, want him around anymore. Take up the Titrons if you have to, or even give it back to Crasher, just get rid of Thundercracker.”  
  
 _Acidstorm stares at Rodimus in awe, totally shocked by what he just heard.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Don’t think of it as treason or mutiny; Thundercracker has broken all forms of rules in both our faction and his own faction, and he’s lied to us about reforming himself and most worrying of all; about Sixshot. You know just as well as I do that it’s time he stood down and left.”  
 _  
Rodimus places a hand onto Acidstorms shoulder, as the Seeker remained looking both shocked and worried by what he just heard.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Quietly) “Acidstorm…say yes and you walk away with Shockwave, or say no and you walk away empty-handed.”  
Acidstorm: “The first two terms I could…slightly agree on…but the last one is something I can’t decide upon right away.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Well…we’ll keep Shockwave locked up in a cell and give you three hours to make a decision.”  
  
 _Rodimus gestures to the Autobots to remove Shockwave, before turning his back on Acidstorm to  follow them out of the room.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Three hours, Acidstorm.” _  
  
The three hours Acidstorm had to decide on what to do next pass by so quickly that he had hardly any time to reach a conclusion; Rodimus decided to talk in private with him, to reach some sort of agreement in hopes this would make both their lives easier.  
The duo meets up in the Autobot conference chamber with Rodimus shuffling through documents muttering to himself whilst Acidstorm sat quietly fidgeting with his hands.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Acidstorm…the longer we delay, the closer we get to having to deal with Shockwave…awake…and full of blood-lust…and I know neither of us wants that savage brute breathing down our necks.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “He wouldn’t breath down our necks...he’d be ripping them apart with his fangs.” _  
  
Rodimus sighs and stops looking through the documents.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Let’s get right to the point…Gamatron needs to die, Thundercracker needs to be punished; you agree don’t you?”  
Acidstorm: “No, I don’t. Gamatron has been trying to survive peacefully but you’ve been constantly prodding him with provoking scenarios, trying to get him to bite at you so you have a real excuse to bite back.”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “I’m not some Sparkling poking at a Predacon, if that’ what you’re assuming.”  
   
 _Acidstorm hisses and slams a fist onto the table.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Shouting) “I am! Gamatron hasn’t bitten out at you all those times he got close---”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “Are you forgetting all those times he tried to commit mutiny when he was under my watch?”  
  
 _Acidstorm squints in shame.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Unless he has a ‘muzzle’ put on him, he will try to bite. And unfortunately, we can’t quite work out a decent ‘muzzle’ for him that makes everyone happy. So the only option left is to put him down.”  
Acidstorm: (Pointing) “But your idea of a muzzle is to have his ball-bearings cut out, bind him to a wall and torture him for information he might not even have! Your methods are purely unorthodox!”  
Rodimus: (Snobbishly) “Personal? I have no personal grudge against him---”  
  
 _Acidstorm slams a fist onto the table again.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Yelling) “BULLSHIT.”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “What are you---”  
Acidstorm: (Pointing/Angry) “You’re worse than Crasher with all this shit coming from your vocal processors! You have a personal grudge against Gamatron because of one very important fact; his father killed your father! You want him dead for REVENGE.”  
  
 _Rodimus stands up from his seat in silence, glaring at Acidstorm who steadily became aware of what he just said.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Coldly) “You’re right…I do seek revenge for my fathers’ death…but killing Gamatron would not satisfy that hunger, since it was not him who did it.”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “B-but Megatron…”  
Rodimus: “In his current condition, I couldn’t even poke him with a stick without feeling guilty; unless I was a bloodthirsty Decepticon I don’t think I could ever kill the Megatron we have on our hands now.”  
  
 _Acidstorm blinks in disbelief as Rodimus approached him.  
  
_ Rodimus: “So you see, it is not personal; it’s for everyone’s sake.”  
  
 _Rodimus leans against the table and eyes Acidstorm.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Stern) “Crasher also made it clear he wanted me to give Gamatron a taste of his own medicine; if anyone has personal issues with Gamatron, it’s him and not me.”

 _Acidstorm looks away in deep thought as Rodimus maintained his glare on him.  
  
_ Rodimus: “And Thundercracker lied to us about Sixshot, Acidstorm; we had witness accounts in the past few days along with physical evidence of him trekking around Downtown Los Angeles.”  
Acidstorm: (Meekly) “But…”  
Rodimus: “The presence of three Decepticon Alpha Males, and especially one who can carry offspring, is not good for anyone. I only kept Scorponok alive because we hadn’t finished studying him, but now we have this…problem…I’m going to have him…put down.” _  
  
Rodimus sighs heavily and looks away as the room fell into an eerie silence.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Meekly) “…I’ll cooperate.”  
Rodimus: “Oh? What changed your mind?”  
Acidstorm: (Quietly) “…Gamatron’s offspring…I thought about them.”  
  
 _Rodimus raises a brow.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “Unless I cooperate with your plan, the offspring will be free game to whoever reaches them first. I don’t want you to murder them like you’re going to do to their mother…er…father…”  
Rodimus: (Coldly) “Murder?”  
Acidstorm: (Softly) “I remember Crasher when he was young…he loved his father dearly, wanted to stay by his side…then Galvatron murdered Starscream, and dragged Crasher into a life-sucking abyss he’s still struggling to get out of. You may physically murder their father---”  
Rodimus: (Pointing) “It’s not murder when it involves putting down a Decepticon.”  
Acidstorm: (Annoyed) “---as I was saying; if you physically murder their father, you would destroy their childhood…if you didn’t physically murder them too.”  
  
 _Acidstorm glares coldly at Rodimus.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Stern) “Wheeljack told me what you did to Neu; you didn’t hesitate to cripple the poor, helpless boy so you wouldn’t think twice about killing him either.”  
  
 _Rodimus remains silent.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “The offspring will be taken under Titron care; were their father Shockwave can look after them without YOU being there to torment them.”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “Torment?! What would dealing with Sparklings do to benefit me?!”  
  
 _Acidstorm slams his fist onto the table again.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Angry) “You may be an Autobot variation of the Leader Class, but you still have the same painful trait as the Decepticon variation; INFANTICIDE.”  
  
 _Rodimus eyes widen in disbelief.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Shouting) “Autobot Alpha’s don’t kill fellow Autobot youngsters; they kill rival Decepticon Alpha’s instead!”  
Rodimus: (Yelling) “Infanticide?! I’ve done no such thing! And don’t you DARE try to brand such a savage trait onto the Autobot Leader Class breed!!”  
Acidstorm: (Growling) “Why did you want to cripple, if not kill, a tiny and totally helpless Decepticon Alpha Male Sparkling?!”  
  
 _Rodimus remains silent and glares at Acidstorm.  
  
_ Acidstorm: (Yelling) “WHY?!”  
  
 _Rodimus does not answer, but instead maintains his cold stare at Acidstorm.  
  
_ Acidstorm: “You and Gamatron are more alike than you want to believe; you should be learning how to live by him…not try to eliminate him.”  
Rodimus: (Stern) “You’ve overstayed your welcome, Acidstorm…leave.”  
Acidstorm: (Confused) “Excuse me?”  
Rodimus: (Coldly) “There is nothing further to discuss here; get out.” _  
  
Rodimus stands up and approaches the door out of the room, opening it for Acidstorm whilst glaring at him further.  
Acidstorm opens his mouth to protest but changes his mind, sighing in defeat, before getting up and leaving the room.  
Rodimus returns to his seat and ponders in silence, thinking carefully about what to do next. After a few moments thinking, he reaches a decision and picks up a transceiver before making a quick call to someone.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Into Transceiver) “Ultra Magnus; let Shockwave go and follow him. Find their nest, grab one of the infants and bring it back here.”  
  
 _Magnus replies over the transceiver, sounding rather worried.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Into Transceiver) “We’re ending it now; do as I have ordered and I will rendezvous with you in four hours. Over.” _  
  
Rodimus ends the call and rubs his face tiredly with his hands, muttering to himself.  
  
_


	19. The Beast Inside

_Once Shockwave had regained consciousness he was released and followed by Ultra Magnus, since his Space Bridge warp device was out of Energy and he had to travel on foot.  
Shockwave reached the nests location to find Gama cleaning the Sparklings, but he stops as soon as he catches sight of his mate. Ultra Magnus takes cover in the trees and tries to stay downwind of the couple, using a special chemical to weaken his scent just in case the wind changed direction at an awkward moment.  
  
_ Gama: (Surprised) “S-Shocky! I was worried! How did it go?”  
  
 _Shockwave grunts and looks away; ashamed._  
  
Gama: “…oh.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “That stupid trance again…all that training I did really was for nothing; I had him within biting distance, had my claws ready to gut him, but the damn trance…fuck...”  
 _  
Gama adjusts himself on the nest, allowing the Sparklings beneath him to poke out for some fresh air.  
  
_ Gama: (Smug) “We’ll just have to train harder, Shockwave. You’ll learn to overcome the trance, and you know what I believe; it will be when you least expect it.”  
  
 _Shockwave sighs and moves closer to the nest, rubbing his head.  
  
_ Gama: (Purring) “I’m feeling much better now, by the way; that Dinobot Sparkling was just what I needed to recover, and so we can move now to a new nest.”  
  
 _The Sparklings all whine at Gama in protest.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Sounds like the young don’t want to move just yet.”  
Gama: (Groaning) “What are your excuses this time?”  
Sparkling #1: (Whining) “It’s too early!”  
Sparkling #2: (Whimpering) “I’m tired and wanna go to sleep.”  
Sparkling #3: (Yelling) “I’m too hungry to go on a big walk!!”  
  
 _Gama face-palms as the young continue to bombard him with excuses.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Pointing) “Listen to me, all of you; Neu is the only one with a viable excuse since his leg is broken. The rest of you are fit enough to migrate, and so we’re moving on now so we can set up a new nest in a more suitable location.”  
  
 _The Sparklings whine at Shockwave and leave the nest, slamming their fists against his legs; Neu remains snuggled next to Gama, keeping warm, without making any sounds of protest.  
  
_ Gama: “Everyone; pay attention to Shockwave and Neu. He’s being quiet. Remember what happens when you all make too much noise?”  
  
 _The Sparklings turn to Gama, fidgeting with their hands and feet in shame.  
  
_ Sparkling #1: (Muttering) “The big bad Sixshot will find us and come to hurt us.”  
Sparkling #2: “Or the Autobots will find us and take us away.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “Right; so be quiet or---”  
 _  
Gama catches whiff of something and rears up, fully alerted by what he smelt.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Gama?”  
  
 _Gama remains in full alert, keeping Neu close to him. Shockwave slowly becomes weary and gestures the Sparklings to move closer to him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Cautious) “Stay near me; remember your training.”  
  
 _Shockwave looks back to Gama._  
  
Shockwave: “Gama…what is the problem? Is it Sixshot again?”  
  
 _Gama shakes his head but remains on full alert, refusing to focus his sights on one spot in particular; he scoots his line of sight around quickly, trying to pinpoint were the ‘threat’ was hiding, but thanks to Ultra Magnus special chemicals Gama was confused by the smells he was detecting._  
  
Shockwave: (Wearily) “…whatever you do, do NOT run unless I tell you to; stay close to me.”  
 _  
The Sparklings all nod and cling to their fathers’ legs, trying to see where the ‘threat’ was located as well.  
That was when Ultra Magnus decided he’d waited long enough; he leapt out of his cover and charged for Gama, tackling him to the floor in a single charge.  
Shockwave steps forwards to assist Gama, but his mate calls to him demanding he relocates the Sparklings right away; Shockwave follows his mates wishes, and takes the young he was protecting elsewhere, leaving Neu behind in the nest without realising it.  
Gama claws at Ultra Magnus as he had taken notice of Neu, and was trying to reach him before his protective parent; but Magnus was bigger than Gama, and at present was more able to fight, so he was quick to stun Gama enough to grab Neu and make a run for it.  
Gama began pursuit as Magnus continued on his run; Magnus whips out a transceiver to call Rodimus with as he was running, just being out of earshot of Gama who was hot on his trail.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Panting) “Rodimus Prime; I’ve got one of the Sparklings and I’m being pursued by Gamatron right now; what are your orders?”  
  
 _Rodimus replies over the transceiver, sounding enthusiastic.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Cautious) “I don’t know if he’s in audio-receiving range or not, and I’m not stopping to see if he is.”  
  
 _Rodimus replies again, sounding more annoyed.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: “I’ll meet you there then in a few minutes. Over.”  
  
 _Magnus returns to running without talking to Rodimus, peeking over his shoulder to see how far Gama was behind him; Gama was very close, and had that savage look in his optic, and that made Magnus not want to stop even more.  
Although Gama was desperate not to lose sight of Magnus, he was starting to get fatigued and was losing speed along with losing distance between himself and his target.  
Magnus quickly shifted his direction and ran into an open freeway, with Gama in pursuit, but Gama was so focused on reaching his target that he didn’t notice one peculiar thing; the freeway was totally deserted.  
Finally, once Magnus reached the end of a tunnel from the freeway, he stopped running and turned to face Gama looking exhausted.  
Gama releases an almighty roar at Magnus and prepares to leap out of the tunnel to tackle him, but suddenly hits the brakes just before reaching the tunnels end; he had caught whiff of more than one Autobot, and was not as enthusiastic to expose himself.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Panting) “Gamatron…I thought you wanted your Sparkling back?”  
  
 _Gama claws the tarmac and snarls as Magnus reveals Neu trembling his has hands.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: “You’re not going to come out and get him back?” _  
  
Gama roars, bearing his fangs savagely as he heard Neu crying out for his father to help him.  
  
_ Rodimus: (VO) “He caught our scent and knew better than to come out.”  
Ultra Magnus: (Annoyed) “Then the whole thing was a failure.”  
  
 _Rodimus walks into Gama’s line of sight, smirking.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Slyly) “Not exactly, you see; now he’s trapped.”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens as he heard sounds come from the other end of the tunnel, and turns to look down it to see Autobots had blocked his only other exit.  
  
_ Rodimus: (VO) “Doesn’t this remind you of anything, Gamatron?”  
  
 _Gama snarls and glares back at Rodimus.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Stern) “Who else was in arms reach of a likely killer, crying for his daddy?” _  
  
Gama rears up from his feral-like posture.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Angry) “Who else had their father murdered in front of them; powerless to stop it?!”  
 _  
Rodimus cocks his weapon, locking eye-to-eye with Gama who remained in the tunnel.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Coldly) “Crasher, Shrieker, Flarestar…all the countless other Sparklings who had their fathers MURDERED by you and your accursed father; a savage bloodline that needs to be destroyed!”  
  
 _Rodimus waves down the Autobots on his side of the tunnel, who had originally been positioned for an ambush; steadily Gama begins backing further into the tunnel and Rodimus and his group of heavily armed Autobots made their way inside.  
Now both exits to Gama were flooded with approaching Autobots, and he was truly trapped.  
Gama began to pant in a panic, looking at the horde of Autobots in front of him and the other horde behind him; before he was worried for his Sparklings safety, but now he was in his much hated self-preservation mode.  
  
_ Gama: (Twitching) “D-don’t…don’t make me do it…”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “Do WHAT? You can’t possibly do any worse to us than you’ve already done!”  
Gama: (Panting) “N-no Autobot…who see’s this mode…lives to tell the tale…don’t make it happen…”  
  
 _Rodimus stops his approach and gestures to his forces to not move any closer; Rodimus quickly whips out a small textbook and flips through it to a page and begins reading.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Snobbishly) “Either Perceptor never witnessed this ‘mode’ you speak of, or it doesn’t even exist; since I can’t find anything in his documents about your breed about an ‘army reducing’ lethal mode.”  
Gama: (Growling) “I-it’s…because it’s…difficult…to stop it when…it starts…”  
  
 _The Autobot group by Rodimus begin talking amongst themselves, sounding rather nervous._  
  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “He’s just lying; ease your concerns and get ready to blast his brain over the road.” _  
  
Rodimus gestures to his troops to load their weapons, causing Gama to recline back onto all fours; trembling and growling quietly.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Calling) “On my mark…”  
  
 _Gama rears up and releases a glass-shattering roar, causing many of the troops to stumble back in a panic.  
Rodimus was slightly shaken by the roar and loses his focus for a split second, but that length of time was all Gama needed to spring into an attack.  
Gama tackles Rodimus to the ground and launches a powerful bite onto his right arm that currently had the weapon in it, with the bite slowly growing in force; Rodimus yells in pain and begins punching at Gama and squirming about, but all it did was make Gama bite down even harder.  
Then, when Rodimus began to really struggle, Gama forced his jaws down and clamped right through Rodimus arm-support; breaking it in half.  
Surrounding troops aimed to shoot at Gama, only for him to spring onto them and land further bites; because the troops were not Leader Class breeds, Gama’s job of breaking through the chassis to ‘the bone’ and breaking limbs with a single bite became much easier.  
Once Gama was certain the lesser Autobots had been disarmed, he turned back on Rodimus who was trying to stand up with his broken arm.  
Ultra Magnus puts Neu down on the road and charges into the tunnel, ramming Gama with full force away from Rodimus only for Gama to land one of his powerful bites onto his arm too.  
Neu sits outside the tunnel, awe-struck by what he was seeing, and hadn’t noticed another Cybertronian come up behind him.  
  
_ Voice: (Slyly/In Decepticon) “Well now…what have we here?”  
  
 _Neu tilts his head and looks up, to see Sixshot towering above him and eyeing him with interest._  
 _  
_Sixshot: (Purring) “Such a cute little runt…and what’s that I see; a broken leg?”  
  
 _Neu’s eyes widen in fear and he trembles, too afraid to move.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Teasing) “Aw, it’s no fun when they can’t run…but I guess with it being broken already I shouldn’t have to chew you up much.”  
  
 _Neu whimpers as Sixshot licks his lips with a sinister gleam of hunger in his eyes.  
  
_ Neu: (In Decepticon/Screaming) “DADDY!! IT’S THE SIXSHOT!!!”  
 _  
Sixshot chuckles and roars preparing to launch down at Neu, when suddenly he heard a threatening roar and looks up, only to be tackled by Gama.  
Gama begins clawing at Sixshots scarred face whilst roaring savagely, with Sixshot returning the same attacks and sounds; Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus weakly leave the tunnel battered and bruised with broken limbs or severe bite marks, watching the two Alpha males fighting in the street.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Weakly) “Such…violence…”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “I’m filming this as evidence against Thundercracker, so be quiet.”  
  
 _The two watch the fight, catching sight of Neu being stuck in the middle of it being unable to get away from it (due to the broken leg).  
As the two adults fought they were not paying attention to where their feet were, and Neu was lucky to avoid a powerful slam from his own fathers’ foot which would have crushed him to death.  
Sixshot began to get fed up of Gama’s faster attacks and launched forwards, head butting him and causing him to stumble back for a few seconds; Sixshot uses the opportunity to tackle Gama onto the floor narrowly missing Neu.   
  
_ Sixshot: (Panting) “A good fight, Gamatron…*pant*…but you need to be dirtier than that to ever beat me…*pant*”  
  
 _Gama groans and tries to get up, only for Sixshot to grasp onto his throat.  
Ultra Magnus steps forward at the sight of Gama being choked, but Rodimus shakes his head, indicating to Ultra Magnus that this was a fight they shouldn’t get involved in.  
Gama claws at Sixshots arm as he felt him slowly increasing his grip.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Growling) “I’d have mated you if there weren’t Autobots present…but because there are, I guess I’ll have to waste you…”  
  
 _Gama gasps for air and squirms.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “Or maybe I can cripple you, carry you away and save you for later…hmmm…yessss…that sounds good to me.”  
 _  
Sixshot licks his lips and eases his grip on Gama’s throat, slowly removing himself from Gama’s frame.  
Just when everyone thought the fight was over, Sixshot confirmed he wasn’t done yet; he launched a powerful bite onto one of Gama’s legs, quickly biting with as much force as possible to cause a loud snap to escape from the joints between Gama’s upper leg and lower leg.  
Gama screams in pain but refuses to struggle, knowing all too well that doing that makes the damage far worse.  
Sixshot pulls back from the bite and licks his lips of Gama’s Energon-blood, before smirking sinisterly and repeating the process on the other leg.  
But someone had, once again, arrived just in time.  
Shockwave was finished relocating the Sparklings and released two equally loud roars as he charged for Sixshot, who ducked the swinging arm of Shockwave this time after learning his lesson the last time.  
Sixshot lands a bite down onto one of Shockwaves arms and the two begin struggling, with Shockwave taking advantage of Sixshots more vulnerable chassis to stab him repeatedly with his free arms claws. The bite Sixshot made was released after a few quick stabs, allowing Shockwave to utilise his powerful swinging arms to hit Sixshot into the road.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Weakly) “F-fuck you..Shockwave!”  
Shockwave: (Roaring) “RUN OR DIE YOU IDIOT!”  
  
 _Sixshot scurries to his feet and makes a run for it as Shockwave prepared to attack again, with the Berserker holding his ground and sending out roars to the fleeing Sixshot as further threats.  
Rodimus groans weakly and grabs his weapon with his still functional arm.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Quietly) “Now whilst that brute is distracted…”  
  
 _Rodimus gets within shooting distance of Gama, preparing to fire, when Shockwave leaps forwards and slashes out at Rodimus, causing him to fall over and narrowly miss crushing Neu (again).  
  
_ Neu: (In Decepticon/Crying) “Daddy!!!”  
  
 _Shockwave roars furiously at Neu, making him quieten before placing him onto Gama’s belly and hauling up Gama’s damaged body.  
Rodimus sits up from the ground, panting, and locks vision with Shockwave who snarls savagely at him before making a hasty retreat once the other injured Autobots began making their way out of the tunnel.  
Ultra Magnus flat-brows and turns to face Rodimus, looking deeply annoyed.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Annoyed) “That didn’t go as planned at all.” _  
  
A few hours later, and Shockwave had brought his damaged mate and offspring to the new nesting site at Topanga State Park; Shockwave would have used what little Energy in his warp device he had to transport the young that far away in such a short space of time, and to warp back to find Gama.  
It was fortunate that he had found Gama in time; only one of his legs had been broken, and Shockwaves job would have been far worse if Sixshot had broken them both.  
Gama weakly recovers from the shock of his fight to find Neu and his brothers in a freshly dug nest, with Shockwave sat on a boulder with his back turned on everyone; he was quietly trying to tend to the bite wound he obtained on his arm, with the Sparklings being quieter than usual in their nest.  
Gama raised a brow in confusion and slowly dragged himself closer to the nest, checking on each Sparkling in turn and cleaning them; but they didn’t make a single sound, it was as if they were too frightened to even let out a single chirp or purr in approval to the interactions.  
That was when Gama heard Shockwave growling deeply, and turned to glare at him as his mate continued to tend to his wounded arm.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “Shockwave…what happened?”  
  
 _Shockwave doesn’t answer.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “Shockwave; answer me.”  
  
 _Again, Gama gets no answer. Shockwave just begins cleaning his wound faster, as if trying to avoid making conversation.  
Gama snarls and claws his way over to Shockwave, punching his mate angrily in the back to get his attention, only to receive a firm smack across the face by Shockwaves massive claws.  
Shockwave growls and turns away again, returning to his wound leaving Gama to recover from the hit by himself.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “No need to strike me…geez…” _  
  
Gama rubs his face and checks his hand, seeing signs of blood, and turns slightly to look at the Sparklings who were all cowering in the nest.  
  
_ Gama: (Coldly) “…what did you do, Shockwave?”  
  
 _Shockwave stops cleaning his wound and turns to glare at Gama, not making a sound.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “The young are all terrified, and you’re being awfully sour; what happened whilst I was unconscious?”  
  
 _Shockwave returns to his wound, with Gama getting up and forcing himself over to the side of the boulder Shockwave was facing.  
Gama pants from his struggle to move with a broken leg, eyeing Shockwave angrily as said mate stopped tending his own wound and eyed Gama’s injured leg._  
  
Gama: (Panting) “You can’t keep this silent *pant* treatment up…whatever I *pant* did wrong to *pant* piss you off, we can *pant* talk about later.”  
  
 _Shockwave looks away slightly, as if feeling ashamed. Gama stops panting.  
  
_ Gama: “I just need to know why our young are sat in their nest, huddled together, cowering and whimpering at the sight of you. Now talk.”  
  
 _Shockwave glares at Gama, flexing his claws and steadily eyeing his mates injured leg._  
  
Shockwave: (Growling) “Energon Blood.”  
Gama: “What?”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “The smell of Energon blood…set me off…I couldn’t stop myself…”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens in shock.  
  
_ Gama: (Shocked) “Shockwave; tell me what you’ve done…”  
Shockwave: (Coldly) “I slaughtered Autobot scouts that were following me and the Sparklings…the young saw and heard…the real me…” _  
  
Gama raises a brow and looks around the area, not seeing any traces of blood or even any dead Autobots.  
  
_ Shockwave: “You won’t find their remains because…I ate them.”  
Gama: (Shocked) “WHAT?!” _  
  
Shockwave looks away in shame and finishes cleaning his wound, before getting to his feet and kneeling down beside Gama to gently lick off the blood from his face where he had struck him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “The smell of that much bleeding Energon makes me…change…Gama. But when I get a taste of it, I become far worse.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “B-but you j-just…”  
Shockwave: “You’re my mate, they are our offspring…I would never resort to killing or consuming our own. Their Energon is our Energon, and I’m bonded to you in body and Spark. Killing you or them in effect would mean me killing a part of myself.”  
Gama: (Nervous) “B-but…w-why?”  
  
 _Shockwave stares deeply into Gama’s eye, remaining silent for a few moments.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Your leg looks pretty badly damaged. Do you want me to fix it?”  
  
 _Gama growls quietly.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “No changing the subject; answer my question.” _  
  
Shockwave stands up and sighs, looking down at Gama.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Sighing) “To answer your question…that ‘Berserker Mode’ is the darker side to me that I don’t want you to ever see.”  
 _  
Gama narrows his eye, suspecting something.  
  
_ Shockwave: “I know that look, dear…and please, PLEASE, trust me on this one; you do NOT want to see the Berserker in me come out.”  
Gama: (Stern) “But I do; you have me curious.”  
Shockwave: (Pointing) “Do you want to wind up like our children? Terrified of me? I don’t want that to happen; it’s bad enough that they saw and had to go through witnessing my wrath.”  
Gama: “You couldn’t frighten me no matter how hard you tried, Shocky; we’re mates.”  
 _  
Shockwave flexes his claws and eyes Gama carefully, keeping silent.  
  
_ Gama: “I want to see all of you; I’ve seen your light side as a caring father and comforting mate, now show me the other side.”  
  
 _Gama forces his broken leg back together; repairing it enough to walk but making him unable to run until it fully heals.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “I want to see what makes Sixshot so afraid of fighting with you.” _  
_Shockwave: “Sixshot is afraid of my claws Gama.”  
Gama: (Pointing) “But I get the feeling he’s more afraid of something else; he’s VERY reluctant to staying near you when he gets cut, it’s as if he doesn’t want you tasting any of his Energon blood.”  
 _  
Shockwave flexes his claws again and eyes the nest, before looking to Gama again._  
  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “…they’ve seen enough of it…”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “But Shocky…”  
Shockwave: “My response remains the same; the answer is no.”  
  
 _Gama growls deeply, baring his fangs._  
  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “No need to lose your temper, Gama.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Well you could at least tell me what I did to make you so angry a moment ago! Lashing out at me with those claws of yours; seriously! Save those things for our enemies!”  
  
 _Shockwave mutters to himself and glares at Gama._  
  
Shockwave: (Stern) “…follow me.”  
  
 _Shockwave steadily moves deeper into the forest, with Gama slowly limping behind him.  
Gama followed enthusiastically, excited to see Shockwave’s true inner-Decepticon; he followed quickly, ignoring the pain in his injured leg, until slowing down once he began to hear the sounds of someone calling for help.  
Shockwave was still in Gama’s sights, so he wondered who it was calling for help; his Sparklings didn’t sound as old as the voice he was hearing so that ruled them out.  
Gama bumps into Shockwave, who had suddenly stopped, because he had not been paying attention to where he was going.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “Wait here a moment.”  
  
 _Gama nods and watches with interest as Shockwave enters a clearing, with the voice he was hearing suddenly becoming more frantic.  
  
_ Voice: (Screaming) “N-NO! NO PLEASE!! NOT YOU AGAIN!”  
  
 _Gama hears Shockwave roar, and the screaming creature falling silent.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “Gama; come out now.”  
  
 _Gama leaves the forest and enters the clearing; seeing Shockwave stood with an Autobot scout grappled in his arms, crying and clawing at Shockwaves arms in terror.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Stern) “I crippled this one and broke his communication devices, hoping to save him for later should you ever need the extra Cybertonium…are you sure you want him to go to waste?”  
Gama: (Smirking) “I’m sure; I want to see this more than anything.”  
  
 _Shockwave glares at Gama, edging his claws slowly to the victims throat causing them to begin begging again.  
  
_ Shockwave: “A word of warning, dear Gama; my temper becomes extremely short in my Berserker condition. I will likely roar, growl, snarl and yell at you after I’ve made my kill…and after a few moments of my Berserker form wearing off I will still have that short temper, so try not to pester me.”  
  
 _Gama nods slowly, sweating a little from his nerves._  
  
Shockwave: (Nodding) “I’m glad you understand, dear…now…about the Autobot…”  
  
 _Shockwave eyes the Autobot he was holding on to, licking his lips thereby sending said Autobot into a panic._  
  
Victim: (Frantic) “P-please!! I’ll do anything you want! Just don’t d-do it!!”  
Gama: (Pointing) “Silence his whining; it hurts my audio receptors.”  
Shockwave: (Slyly) “As you wish, dear.”  
 _  
The victim opens his mouth to speak again, but Shockwave just as quickly slit his throat with his claws; Gama folds his arms and ponders over something Shockwave said a few hours ago, about trying to avoid becoming a savage killer again, before returning to watching what his mate would do next.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “I wonder…why would any Decepticon try to avoid making any kills? Doesn’t the satisfaction of a kill bring Shockwave any pleasure?”  
  
 _Gama watches with interest as Shockwave sniffed the bleeding throat of his victim._  
  
Gama: (In Thought) “Could it be that he wanted to prevent making kills because of this ‘Berserker Mode’ he spoke about? It surely couldn’t be that bad now, could it?” _  
  
Shockwave slowly began licking the blood that was pouring down the victims’ neck with said victim still (barely) alive, and he was more terrified than ever once he caught sight of Shockwaves massive jaws.  
The Berserker bit down onto the victims neck and attempted to suck up as much of the pouring blood as possible, with his optic becoming more and more dilated the higher amounts of blood he took in.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “…something doesn’t feel right here…I…I’m suddenly getting the urge to run…” _  
  
Shockwaves Spark began to race, his optic steadily reaching an unnatural brightness of blood red, his body twitching and trembling.  
That was when it happened.  
Shockwave released his bite and roared monstrously, causing even Gama to freeze in fear at the volume, also leaving him no option but to remain where he stood to watch just like his Sparklings did.  
The victim cried out in terror as Shockwave slammed him to the floor, before screaming in pain as the Berserker began clawing him apart wildly, until he fell silent once the damage he took eventually ended his life.  
Shockwave wasn’t finished yet though; he remained clawing apart the dead Autobot Scout with both his hand and feet claws and his fangs, ripping off chunks of metal and consuming them like a savage beast.   
Gama began to tremble in fear as he witnessed the sheer ruthlessness; this truly was a side to Shockwave he never saw, and was now starting to dread seeing ever again.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought/Terrified) “W-who is this!? This isn’t the Shockwave I remember…” _  
  
The Berserker was so fixated on his kill that before he knew it, the entire body had its useful parts eaten, with just the inner framework remaining.  
Gama steps back, finally able to move again, and steps on a fallen tree branch causing a loud snap, accidentally catching Shockwaves attention. Gama smiles nervously, hoping Shockwave had some rational fragments in this form, but he was sadly mistaken.  
Shockwave snarls and roars at Gama, causing him to freeze in fear again.  
The Berserker pushes the carcass of the Autobot aside; fixating his sights on Gama, growling and baring his fangs like a savage, slumped on all fours and slowly clawing closer to him.  
And before he knew it Shockwave was charging at him on all fours.  
  
_ Gama: (Shouting) “S-Shockwave!! Stop!!” _  
  
Gama screams in terror as Shockwave springs into the air and tackles him onto the floor, and prepares to claw at him, with the Berserker panting in a rage within inches of Gama’s face; but no attack came.  
  
_ Gama: (Meekly) “S-Shockwave…I…I’m scared…p-please…stop…”  
  
 _Shockwave remains snarling and glaring at Gama, his breath being so hot that steam began to flow out of his mouth.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “P-Primus…he’s going to kill me…I s-shouldn’t have asked him to show me this!!” _  
  
Gama whimpers and cowers, covering his face in terror as he saw Shockwave pull back, thinking he was going to strike him.  
That was when Shockwave slowly began to fade from the savage beast Gama just saw back into the Shockwave that he knew and loved; panting and remaining in his frozen attacking position.  
Gama meekly uncovers his face and peeks up at Shockwave to see why he hadn’t been attacked yet; hugging his mate tightly once he was certain it was alright again.  
  
_ Gama: (Whimpering) “T-thank Primus…I thought you were about to kill me…”   
  
_Shockwave lowers his arm that just moments ago he was about to strike his mate with and pats Gama on the back._  
 _Gama cries softly, hugging onto his mate as tight as he could.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “You know now…about that monster inside of me…”  
Gama: (Crying) “Y-yes.”  
 _  
Shockwave gently licks Gama’s cheek.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Whispering) “Don’t be afraid of me, dear…I…the monster…won’t hurt you.”  
Gama: (Whimpering) “But the look in your optic…wasn’t the same…”  
Shockwave: “I heard your screams, and fought against the ‘lies’ I was seeing. My vision in that state is so bad I can only see with heat vision, and with that form of vision everyone looks the same.”  
  
 _Shockwave licks Gama again, purring softly.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “The smell of Energon blood overpowers my scent glands, making it impossible for me to tell others apart through scent too…my only form of detecting an ally from an enemy is by sound.” _  
  
Gama pulls back, drying his tears.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Our young constantly make noise, and I could tell them apart from enemies because they are so tiny by comparison…they are safe no matter what form I take.”  
 _  
Gama nods, sighing heavily.  
  
_ Gama: (Meekly) “…is there…any way we can lower the chances of you entering err…”  
Shockwave: “Berserker Mode.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “Yes, that. Is there any way?”  
  
 _Shockwave scratches his head and shrugs.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Shrugging) “Well, if someone else makes a kill, I’m less likely to be tempted to make one myself. Smelling Energon blood, or tasting it, whilst the creature is still alive is what sets me off; the scent and taste from a dead creature isn’t as tempting.” _  
  
Gama tilts his head.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Basically; the more kills YOU make, and the more of those kills I consume from, the less likely I will enter Berserker Mode when that high level of Energon Blood is present.”  
Gama: (Blinking) “Me? But…I’ve never hunted a day in my life.”  
  
 _Shockwave stands up, assisting Gama in getting up himself.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Slyly) “Well maybe it’s about time someone taught you how.” _  
  
Shockwave escorts Gama back to the nest, to rest and discuss the future hunting lessons.  
  
_


	20. Clash of the Titans

_A few days pass with Shockwave teaching Gama how to track prey, stalk prey and most important of all; how to bring down the prey for that vital kill.  
Autobot scouts were more prevalent than previously, as they were monitoring the family’s activities for Rodimus Prime; right now the footage and witness stories he was getting from the scouts made him believe Gama was training for their unavoidable confrontation. The growing paranoia of what Gama was up to caused Rodimus to order his scouts to venture closer to the nesting site, which was putting them further into the danger zone.   
One group of scouts were unlucky being ordered to get this close, but one bot’s luck is another bot’s opportunity to display his skills.  
Gama was hiding in the greenery, watching the group of scouts as they began trekking through the forest; he was looking for the smallest and weakest looking of the group, as Shockwave taught him, and was soon ready to begin his chase. The Leader Class released a powerful roar, causing the scouts to draw their weapon and fire aimlessly at where they thought the sounds came from.  
Once their ammo had run out, Gama began the real side of the hunt.  
The scouts scatter in fear as Gama revealed himself and began pursuit; chasing the smallest member of the team and ensuring he was going exactly where he wanted him to go without him noticing.  
Gama rushes through the forest, roaring angrily the closer he got to the fleeing scout only for it to run faster and get further away.  
That was when Shockwave’s part in the hunt came into play; he springs from his hiding spot as planned and startles the scout into hitting the breaks, with Gama quick to leap onto the victims back and force him onto the floor.  
The scout begins squirming and attempts to make a distress call, with Gama biting onto the scouts arm to try and prevent the communication from happening.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Shouting) “The throat Gama! Bite the throat!”  
  
 _Gama stops biting the victims arm and does as instructed by Shockwave; he sinks his fangs into the scouts throat and holds it, increasing his force until he’d eventually bitten through the spinal support.  
Gama slowly removes himself from the scout once he felt it stop struggling, now certain that it was dead.  
  
_ Gama: (Panting) “He didn’t…*pant*…get far…*pant*  
Shockwave: (Purring) “Against us? He stood no chance.”  
  
 _Gama kneels down to the dead Scout and rips off one of the door-wings, before chewing through it to replenish himself._  
  
Shockwave: “It was a good kill, Gama.” _  
  
Gama purrs lovingly and rips off the scouts arm, handing it to Shockwave.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Seductively) “You know, considering this is the first official hunting kill you’ve made, I am very impressed…perhaps later when we’re full and the young are tucked up in bed…we could go and spend some quality time together…” _  
  
Shockwave smiles softly and takes the arm, before biting into it hungrily; Gama purrs seductively at his partner, indicating he liked his idea.  
  
_ Gama: (Chuckling) “No rusty iron or scraps tonight; fresh Energon and minerals for us, and nice nutritious Energon Milk for the young in the morning.” _  
  
Gama begins tucking into another part of the Autobot scout himself, rearing up after hearing a strange sound coming from the forest.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Softly) “…what is it, dear?”  
Gama: (Quietly) “…nothing…I…I just thought I heard something.” _  
  
Shockwave tilted his head and reared up from the kill, listening carefully; he heard loud footsteps and the sound of dirt being moved, but little else.  
He shrugs off the concerns and resumes the feast, until bolting his attention back into the forest once he heard a massive slamming sound.  
That was when Shockwave heard what he had been dreading, screams; the screams of his offspring.  
Before Gama could even ask what was wrong Shockwave had bolted from their kill and rushed through the forest, panting heavily and clawing down any trees that got in his way.  
Shockwave released an almighty roar as he got closer to the nest in hope that it would drive off whatever frightened the youngsters, but once the clearing was reached Shockwave realised simple roaring was not going to drive off this monster.  
Sixshot.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “Well…how good to see you, Shockwave. You’re just in time for dinner.”  
 _  
Shockwaves eye widens in horror as he saw Energon Blood coating Sixshots hands and face, with the Alpha licking off the blood and humming to himself; Sixshot watches in amusement as Shockwave immediately began looking between him and the nest.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Chuckling) “There’s plenty left over…but oh wait…you wouldn’t want to eat your own now would you?”  
  
 _Sixshot laughs as Shockwave began snarling savagely at him, salivating at the powerful scent of blood.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Smugly) “But you’re a Berserker; you’ll eat anything that bleeds, even your own kin…and Perceptor though us Leader Class’ Decepticons were savages for the infanticide…pfft…”  
Gama: (VO/Shouting) “Cannibalistic freak!!”  
  
 _Sixshot turns to look beside Shockwave, seeing Gama panting for breath and also covered in the blood of the kill they just fed on moments ago.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Smirking) “Leader Class’ cannibalism is rare, Gamatron…but Berserkers did it all the time, isn’t that right Shockwave?”  
  
 _Shockwave squints and takes a step back.  
  
_ Gama: (Confused) “…what’s Sixshot talking about?”  
  
 _Sixshot steps forwards, still cleaning off the blood from his hands and face.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Chuckling) “Oh so he’s not told you yet? Well…I guess now would be the best time, if ever, to let you know Gamatron…”  
Shockwave: (Roaring) “SHUT UP!”  
  
 _Sixshot stops moving closer and eyes the nest again once he heard the faint chirps of the remaining youngsters, licking his lips back at the parents.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “Seven left…hmmm…if I tell Gamatron your little ‘secret’ Shockwave, then maybe he might let me have them all for dinner…and then later we will likely both be feasting on you.”  
Gama: (Pointing) “I’d never join up with you, especially to bring harm onto my mate!! And openly admitting you murdered my offspring---”  
Sixshot: (Stern) “You knew I’d do it, because I made it quite clear to you before; I want you to incubate a nice brood of eggs for me, and the only way to get that to happen is to kill your living young and mate you at the end of the month.”  
Gama: (Yelling) “Stop saying you mate me! It’s RAPE!”  
  
 _Sixshot leans forwards, flashing a smirk.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “You didn’t resist much the last time.”  
Gama: (Muttering) “Y-yeah…but…”  
  
 _Sixshot shrugs.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Teasing) “It’s not rape if it is wanted.”  
  
 _Gama grunts and clenches his fists, strongly desiring to attack but Sixshot was too close to his nest to attack without harming the infants inside too.  
Sixshot purrs and eyes the nest again.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Teasing) “Oh this reminds me…how many were there, Shockwave?”  
  
 _Shockwave lowers his head and steps back, trembling.  
  
_ Gama: “…Shockwave?”  
Sixshot: (Mocking) “I’m still waiting for an answer big guy! How many siblings did you use to have? It completely slipped my mind!”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Sixshot, you’re mistaken…Shockwave said he was the only born---”  
Sixshot: (Singing) “Lies, lies, lies, lies. Lies, lies, lies, lies. He lies. He lies. HE LIES.”  
 _  
Gama growls deeply and leans forwards, baring his teeth.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “…five, Sixshot.”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens and he looks towards Shockwave, who was staring at his feet in shame about something.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Slyly) “Oh yes, I remember…there was six of you and your mommy and daddy…until your mommy got shot and your daddy got mauled to death by Predacons.”  
  
 _Sixshot seductively licks his hands totally clean of the blood.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Smirking) “No mommy to feed you, no daddy to hunt for you…you got hungry like any Sparkling…”  
  
 _Shockwave’s eye widens and he begins trembling.  
  
_ Gama: (Worried) “…Shockwave?”  
Sixshot: (Slyly) “The strong of the litter survived, the weak perished…”  
  
 _Shockwave slaps one of his hands across his mouth and holds back the urge to vomit at the thoughts he was having, raising Gama’s concerns even more.  
  
_ Gama: (Concerned) “Shockwave…what’s wrong?”  
Sixshot: (Stern) “In desperation, with no parents to bring minerals or Energon to him or his siblings, Shockwave did what a Berserkers instincts told him to do…”  
Gama: “Any Decepticon would hunt, you---”  
Sixshot: (Smirking) “He didn’t hunt…he resorted to cannibalism.” _  
  
Gama’s eye widens, and he turns to face Shockwave who was still fighting the urge to vomit.  
Whilst Gama and Shockwave were distracted, Sixshot turned on the nest again and struck down to sweep up another youngster; catching the seventh of the pack in his fangs, Sixshot shook his head violently and bit down with brutal force, breaking every limb within the Sparklings body.  
Gama had regained his composure after hearing the sounds of Sixshot savaging something, and leapt for him the instant he saw one of his children within the Alpha’s jaws.  
Sixshot dropped the youngster as Gama tackled him, and the two began to fight one another.  
Shockwave remained standing on the edge of the clearing, panting heavily and fighting the smell of blood he was detecting from his dead infants.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “Y-you don’t need to do it again…you just had a kill…fight the smell…f-fight…”  
  
 _Gama lands a powerful bite onto Sixshots forearm, causing him to bleed. Sixshots eyes widen in a panic and he fixates his sights on what Shockwave was doing; the Berserker was still sulking on the edge of the clearing, and hadn’t smelt the blood yet, so Sixshot resumed the fight.  
Shockwave took in a heave of air and exhaled heavily, trying to regain his composure to think rationally; but that was when more scents of blood flowed into his scent glands, swarming his brain with signals that made him feel hunger.  
The Berserker closes his eye and hums, salivating and slowly becoming tempted by the smell.  
  
_ Shockwave: (In Thought) “T-that smell…it’s not Berserker…or Leader Class…”  
  
 _Shockwave rushes over to the fight and forces Gama from Sixshot, pushing his mate towards the nest to obstruct the Sparkling’s vision of what was about to happen.  
Sixshot panicked at the sight of Shockwave and tried to flee, only for the Berserker to slam one of his heavy feet down onto the Leader Class’ back to prevent him from going anywhere.  
Shockwave leaned down closer to Sixshots bleeding arm and began sniffing it with interest.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Frantic) “N-no Shockwave!! B-back off!!”  
Shockwave: (In Thought) “…Six Changer…I haven’t…tasted Six Changer in millions of years…”  
Sixshot: (Whimpering) “P-please…I…I didn’t…I was just…”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “…just one bite…”  
Sixshot: (Panicked) “N-no! S-Shockwave!!”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens and he huddles down to the surviving six Sparklings to shelter them from what was going to happen.  
Shockwave launches a bite down forcefully onto Sixshots arm and begins pulling back, trying to rip off a chunk of it, only for Sixshot to begin squirming with more panic and desire to escape. Shockwave steadily began to lick up the blood from Sixshots wound whilst keeping his bite firmly on the Six Changer’s arm; his optic slowly dilating, its red glow growing in intensity.  
Sixshot managed to look behind him at his savage attacker only to wish he hadn’t; Shockwave was slowly turning from the fairly frightening Decepticon Sixshot tried to avoid, into the Berserker any Cybertronian would have nightmares about.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Panicked) “S-shockwave!! W-we can talk about this!! J-just p-please---AGHHH!!”  
  
 _Shockwave violently begins shaking his head, slamming his claws down onto Sixshots shoulder, until ripping off the Six Changers arm.  
Sixshot shivers as he feels his shoulder begin to bleed rapidly, panting and scooting his vision around him in terror as he heard Shockwave crunching up his severed arm.  
He dared not move, or speak, as he heard Shockwave finish off the limb and begin growling at him; seeking his next feast.  
Sixshot slowly began to tremble as he felt Shockwaves fiery hot breath on his neck, and in an act of desperation he attempted to shake Shockwave from his back; a very grave mistake to make.  
Shockwave climbed off Sixshots body and granted him a second to think he could get away, when suddenly the Berserker roared and sprung onto his back; jamming his claws deep into it and pulling them back, leaving massive tares within the chassis that allowed even more blood to leak out.  
That was when Shockwave bit down on the other arm and began violently pulling it, shaking his head around to weaken the joint, before it finally ripped loose and sent Sixshot into a screaming frenzy.  
Gama shuddered as he tried with all his might not to let both the young see the brutal attack and also himself; the sounds they all heard were frightening enough.  
Sixshot was now unable to move with both his arms torn off, and even with Shockwave distracted with the consumption of the second arm Sixshot still was afraid of trying to make a run for it; he knew Shockwave could easily outrun him, and could just as easily lose his temper faster if he tried to get away. All he could do was hope someone would show up before Shockwave targeted his vital body parts.  
Shockwave finished off the second arm and was once again growling at Sixshot, baring his fangs.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Trembling) “S-S-Shockwave…p-please….it’s m-me…”  
  
 _Shockwave snarls and a wave of hot steam flows down from his mouth onto Sixshot back.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Cowering) “I…You saved me…remember? W-we became friends…”  
  
 _Gama sneaks a peek over his shoulder, only to hear Shockwave roaring at Sixshot followed by the sounds of him slamming his massive clawed hands into the dirt.  
Sixshot whimpers as Shockwave turns him onto his back, still breathing heavily in Berserker Mode and baring his teeth at his victim.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Meekly) “S-Shockwave? Y-you wouldn’t kill your old friend Sixshot now, would you?”  
  
 _Shockwave opens his mouth, releasing a deep growl along with a few drops of saliva onto Sixshots battered and broken body. Sixshot squints and looks to his shoulders, realising that his bleeding was preventing Shockwave from snapping out of his Berserker Mode, and causing Gama to look away again once he realised his mate was not done yet.  
  
_ Sixshot: (Whimpering) “S-Shocky?” _  
  
Sixshot whimpers as he sees Shockwave salivate even more the closer he got to him, shutting his eyes in defeat once he realised resisting now would be pointless.  
The Berserker finally lashed forwards; sinking his fangs into Sixshots throat, slowly building up pressure to break his neck with. A cry of pain followed by an ear-piercing snap was all everyone heard, since after that there was just silence.  
Gama snuck a look over his shoulder again to see Shockwave quietly sat on his victim, ripping off chunks of Sixshots body with both his claws and fangs; tossing parts he didn’t like aside into a pile, whilst quietly consuming the rest. Gama shudders as he watches the sight, clinging onto his young tightly.   
He was afraid.  
Shockwave just got a taste of Decepticon Leader Class blood, and Gama was the same breed as Sixshot; if Shockwave seriously wanted to, then he could easily kill Gama and his own offspring just as easily as he broke Sixshots neck.  
One of the Sparklings chirps in fear at its mother, causing Shockwave to rear up and turn to face the nest; his eye burning a fiery red, entire front half of the body smothered in blood. Gama knew that he was still in Berserker Mode, and was still dangerous.  
Gama remains totally still as Shockwave began his slow approach; baring his fangs, roaring aggressively whilst walking on all fours. Gama shuffled dirt into the nest, to give the young something to hide under, as he remained locking his vision with Shockwave.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “So he doesn’t enter a trance in this state…well I’m in deep shit…”  
  
 _Shockwave stops his approach and sniffs, licking his lips and eyeing Gama with interest; Gama twitches and slaps a hand across his body, checking for any wounds or signs of blood.  
But he was clean.  
Gama begins to pant as he remained focuses on watching where Shockwave was going, and more importantly, how he was behaving as he was on the move again; right now he didn’t seem to be eyeing Gama for further carnage, but he still had the savage glow in his eye indicating he was in Berserker Mode.  
Shockwave began to circle around Gama, ignoring the nest, and began sniffing like a curious pet dog.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing) “S-Shockwave…are you feeling alright?” _  
  
Shockwave claws his way to Gama’s side; still sniffing with interest.  
 The Leader Class began sweating nervously, but refused to move, as Shockwave casually began sniffing and licking his leg causing Gama to shiver from the gentle touch.  
Gama let out a weak moan, causing Shockwave to release a very loud ‘chuffing’ sound; that was when Gama completely froze, since Shockwave had began to sniff closer and closer to his rear end.  
  
_ Gama: (Blushing/Annoyed) “N-not in front of the children…you fucking idiot…” _  
  
Shockwave snorts and chuffs again, slamming Gama from the nest and onto the floor; Gama quickly gets up to his feet as Shockwave clawed back to him..  
  
_ Gama: (In Strange Language) “Kids…how do I put this? Um…hide in the bushes and cover your ears; don’t look back.”  
  
 _The Sparklings all tilt their heads and chirp to one another, before doing as instructed by their mother.  
Gama read Shockwave’s signals correctly, and gave the right orders to his offspring, since right now the Berserker was not interested in using his brute force to make a kill; he was looking to make something else.  
Shockwave slowly crawls up Gama’s body, sniffing and licking him, until forcefully slamming his mates’ body onto the ground and mounting him.  
Gama clenches onto the ground tightly, shaking his body to tempt Shockwave to change his mind, but all the action did was cause Shockwave to launch a very powerful bite onto Gama’s back.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “D-don’t bite me you fool!”  
  
 _Shockwave growls back as he slams his body closer to Gama’s, digging his claws into the dirt. Gama shivers as he feels Shockwaves hose slowly enter deep into his tailpipe, before groaning as his larger mate began pounding him with force sending out sharp moans from his prey.  
Gama begins panting, his body trembling from both Shockwaves brutal advances and Gama’s fears; once Shockwave was done with him here, would he snap out of his Berserker Mode? Or would he seek further blood to satisfy his seemingly limitless hunger?  
Shockwave could seem to tell Gama was afraid, as he released his bite on his mate and quietened his growling; but his mating was still very rough and Gama was still afraid over why he suddenly switched from a bloodthirsty killer into such an aggressive lover.  
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “P-Primus…d-don’t kill me…please…I know you can snap out of this Shockwave, so why aren’t you?!”  
  
 _Gama panics as he feels Shockwaves hot breath against his neck again, hearing a growl slipping free from the Berserker, along with one of his mates massive claws edge to his throat.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Growling) “You make a lot of noise.” _  
  
Gama moans loudly as Shockwave thrusts again, whimpering once his mate decided to stop. Gama turns his gaze slightly to look behind him, seeing Shockwave’s optic; it was dilated, but he was not in Berserker Mode anymore. So why was he still acting so aggressively?  
Shockwave growls once he sees Gama’s looks of plea for the rough mating to stop.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Some Leader Class you are; look at you whimpering and crying like a Sparkling.”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens in a panic as Shockwave forced his face down and into the dirt, and began thrusting again forcing the moans to begin again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Hissing) “Again with the noise!”  
  
 _Shockwave slams one of his clawed hands onto the back of Gama’s head, and roars angrily at his mate. Gama whimpers, trying to hold back his moaning, as Shockwave continued to pound him.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “Uhnnn…you’re too quiet…ugh…a real Leader would show some compassion!”  
Gama: (Whimpering) “B-but you said…”  
Shockwave: (Growling) “Pathetic! Where are your ball-bearings?!”  
  
 _Shockwave roars angrily at Gama, who cowers.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Angry) “Now show..ugh…c-compassion like an alpha!”  
  
 _Gama cautiously lets his moans slip out again, only to feel Shockwaves claws pull close to his throat again.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Shouting) “I said LIKE AN ALPHA.”  
  
 _Gama cowers as he feels Shockwave lift up his body and hold him in a grapple; Shockwave was panting heavily from anger, whilst Gama was panting from the rough mating session he was currently going through.  
Shockwave roars angrily as he begins thrusting again only to hear Gama moaning once more.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Growling) “I’m disappointed; I guess…ugh…I’m the alpha here.”  
  
 _Gama’s eye widens as he realises what Shockwave was implying; because Gama was allowing Shockwave to mount him and be rough with him he was not being a true alpha male, and Shockwave (whether he was still in Berserker Mode or not) was trying to encourage him to be more dominating.  
Shockwave continued taking Gama upright, still kneeling on the ground, only now Gama had to really put up a fight to prove himself to his mate.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Blushing) “I…uhnnn….I’m not going to be..ugh…around to protect your tailpipe forever, Gama!”  
Gama: (Growling) “Ever thought I might…ugh…be enjoying this?!”  
Shockwave: (Growling) “Enjoying or not! FIGHT BACK.”  
  
 _Shockwave lands a powerful bite onto Gama’s shoulder, causing his mate to release a roar of pain and to begin struggling.  
Gama eyes one of Shockwaves arms and lands his own bite onto it, causing Shockwave to free him from the grapple and to pull himself loose; but Shockwave wasn’t going to make Gama’s job easy, he was going to put up a counter attack.  
As Gama tries to get some distance from Shockwave to assess the situation, he turned around to find his mate already charging at him, ready to tackle him back onto the ground for a second round of humility; but Gama was quick to launch his body forwards, ramming Shockwave back and onto his rear.  
  
_ Gama: (Pointing) “I could do it, but I won’t.”  
Shockwave: (Growling) “Then you’re not going to last long without me.”  
Gama: “I’m past killing, Shockwave. Now snap out of this lusty-fury you have going on and calm down.”  
  
 _Shockwave roars at Gama and prepares to get up again, only for Gama to leap onto his body and pin him to the floor. Shockwave begins squirming angrily, refusing to make eye-contact.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “Look at me Shockwave.”  
 _  
Shockwave refuses.  
  
_ Gama: (Shouting) “LOOK AT ME.”  
  
 _Shockwave stops struggling and cautiously makes eye-contact with Gama, his eye slowly returning from its heavily dilated state to its stable condition.  
  
_ Gama: (Angrily) “You made your kill! You got to have a quick ride, now enough is ENOUGH; I need answers!”  
  
 _Shockwave begins looking around nervously as Gama began baring his fangs at him, roaring angrily. Shockwave was now feeling the alpha in Gama wake up, and was beginning to feel nervous._  
 _  
_Shockwave: (Meekly) “…answers?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Good, you’re back to normal again.”  
Shockwave: “…what?”  
Gama: (Growling) “Explain that outburst just now; where are you going and why do you think I’m not able to survive without you?”  
  
 _Shockwave fiddles with his claws, still looking nervous underneath Gama’s ever staring eye.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Nervous) “…um…I did tell you I get very aggressive after I make a kill, didn’t I?”  
Gama: (Stern) “That does not answer my questions.”  
Shockwave: (Meekly) “…well..um…when in that condition…I uhh…don’t usually mean what I say.”  
 _  
Shockwave swallows deeply as Gama leans in closer to his face.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “…where are you going and WHY.”  
  
 _Gama roars angrily as Shockwave remains silent, slamming his fists into the dirt in hope it would provoke his mate into talking; but he got nothing.  
  
_ Shockwave: “…you’ll have to do better than that to get me to answer.”  
  
 _Gama squints and pulls back, taking in a heave of air, before slamming his body forwards and unleashing an almighty roar within inches of Shockwaves face.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Startled) “…better b-but…I’m still not talking.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Well you could at least explain why you think I’m so WEAK.”  
Shockwave: “You’re a tiny bit weaker than normal, dear, because you’re still feeding the Sparklings…”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Oh yeah? You seemed to be implying it as something else.”  
Shockwave: (Nervous) “…I did?”  
  
 _Gama bares his teeth and snaps angrily at Shockwave.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Um…well…you need to be a bit more, um…aggressive…you have the power but you need the motivation to use it…”  
  
 _Gama rears up, giving Shockwave breathing space.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “I can be aggressive if I have to be.”  
  
 _Shockwave looks away, still fidgeting.  
  
_ Gama: “Shockwave, just because my father was aggressive all the time doesn’t mean I have to be too…especially to my loved ones.”  
  
 _Gama leans down to Shockwave and hugs him, purring, before sneaking a bite startling Shockwave into screaming.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “I may appear soft on the outside but inside I could just as easily rip out your throat like I did to that Autobot Scout; I was sure that me pulling off a kill in front of you would make you feel more comfortable, but I guess I was mistaken.”  
Shockwave: “…no, you did prove to me you could kill. But…”  
Gama: (Quietly) “Your concerns are related to you ‘going away’, correct?”  
  
 _Shockwave nods reluctantly.  
  
_ Gama: “Tell me where you’re going and why. Otherwise I’ll break your legs so you can’t go anywhere.”  
Shockwave: (Meekly) “…to save them.”  
Gama: (Curious) “…save who?”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “The others.”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “Yes, but what others?”  
  
 _Shockwave squints at Gama and tilts his head sadly.  
  
_ Shockwave: (Quietly) “…our daughters.” _  
  
Gama bolts up in a shock and doesn’t say anything.  
  
_ Shockwave: “I’ve been losing sleep over worrying about them, Gama.”  
Gama: (Pointing) “They can’t come here, you know why.”  
Shockwave: “Y-yes…but…”  
Gama: (Stern) “If they come here they risk being killed; they’re safer where they are right now.”  
  
 _Shockwave sighs heavily and tries to get up, only for Gama to force him back onto the floor.  
  
_ Gama: (Slyly) “By the way, that was quite a kill you made on Sixshot…it seems you’re willing to kill anyone, even childhood friends, to satisfy that hunger of yours.”  
  
 _Shockwaves eye widens.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “If you so much as show that savage look at me or our offspring again; I will kill you. I’m not allowing anyone, not even you, to destroy me or my young. Understand?”  
  
 _Shockwave nods quickly, trying to get up again.  
  
_ Gama: “You’re not going just yet; I’m going to do something I should have done a long time ago to you first.”  
Shockwave: (Blinking) “W-what is it?”  
Gama: (Smirking) “Marking you as mine.”  
Shockwave: “But…we have the bond…”  
Gama: (Slyly) “A real Alpha male marks his partners in a…special way…hehe…”  
  
 _Gama opens up Shockwaves legs and ejects his hose, sliding the tip onto Shockwaves tailpipe, before ramming full-force into his partner.  
Shockwave gasps and forces his legs inwards, squeezing Gama between them, as he began moaning sharply from his mates more powerful thrusting.  
  
_ Gama: (Moaning) “Uhhnnnn…you’re…so…tight…”  
  
 _Gama pants and shuts his eye, leaning back as he began to become entranced in the thrusting; then, in a split second, he imagined someone else in his thoughts.  
Crasher.  
Gama’s eye bolts open and he shakes his head.   
  
_ Gama: (In Thought) “N-no…forget him!! Forget him!! You have Shockwave now! He’s a better mate than that pile of scrap could ever be!!”  
  
 _Gama moans sharply as his hose entered mating-mode, expanding in size with its spikes, making Shockwaves tailpipe feel that tiny bit tighter.  
Gama’s release was quick, and powerful, as he hadn’t mounted another Cybertronian for a very long time and had a great deal of his Solder built up; Shockwave was relieved, but also slightly disappointed, that the session was over with so quickly.  
Gama retreats from Shockwaves tailpipe and gives him the space to move freely, rubbing his sore tailpipe.  
  
_ Gama: (Smirking) “Not only are you officially my property now, but I also proved to you I can be a real alpha if I really want to be.”  
Shockwave: (Sighing) “Yes, Gama.”  
Gama: (Pointing) “And you’re not going anywhere, at least not yet. I need you to stay here and guard the young whilst I go and take care of some personal problems.”  
  
 _Shockwave looks curiously at Gama.  
  
_ Gama: (Sighing) “Rodimus Prime?”  
Shockwave: (Awed) “Ohhhh…”  
Gama: “Now then…the young need to---”  
  
 _As Gama turns around to the bushes the young ran to hide in, his eye widens as he sees them all stood looking back at him in awe instead, as if they just saw something they really didn’t want to see.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “I thought I told you not to come out until I came to get you?”  
Pyro: (Shouting) “NUH-UH! You just said hide and cover our ears!”  
Gama: “Don’t use that tone with my, Pyro.”  
Rolo: (Whimpering) “Why were you both hurting each other?”  
Sparx: (Pointing) “And why did you put your thingy in dad’s thingy?”  
Mega: (Yelling) “That looked fun! I want to do that!!”  
Neu: (In Decepticon/Pouting) “When can we eat the Sixshot guy?”  
Clank: (Whining) “Why was there so much noise?”  
 _  
Gama blushes and rubs the back of his head nervously, looking back to Shockwave who quickly raises his hands; signalling he didn’t want to get involved.  
  
_ Gama: (Sighing) “You’re all…still too young…”  
Pyro: (Shouting) “NO! We’re old enough! We’re big kids!”  
Gama: “You’re less than three months old; you’re still a ‘baby’.”  
 _  
Pyro and the other Sparklings begin shouting in protest, with Gama groaning and covering his face with his hands, shaking his head.  
Gama takes in a heave of air and roars loudly at the Sparklings, causing them to be quiet.  
  
_ Gama: (Pointing) “I’m an alpha male, the Leader of this pack, now behave like lower ranked males and be quiet.”  
  
 _The young all nod and cower.  
  
_ Gama: “You’re too young to know what I was doing, you shouldn’t have even seen it; all I can tell you about it is that if I do that to another male, then I’m dominating them.”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “Dominating? Like…you climb on their backs to show them who the boss is?”  
Gama: (Annoyed) “You’re too young to do that at the moment, Neu. Stick to working on your verbal threats and displays, and when you’re the right age I’ll teach you all I know about domination.”  
  
 _Neu pouts.  
  
_ Gama: (Pointing) “The same goes for you too, Mega.”  
  
 _Mega pouts also.  
  
_ Mega: (Muttering) “But it looked like fun.”  
Gama: “As for Sixshot; everyone except Mega and Neu can help themselves to him. I think you’re ready to get off the Energon Milk and start chewing on metal.”  
Mega: (Whining) “What?!”  
Neu: (In Decepticon/Angry) “That’s not fair! Why can’t we have any?!”  
  
 _Gama bares his teeth at Mega and Neu as the others rush to the remains of Sixshot and try to eat him, with Shockwave slowly sneaking over to help break up the parts into smaller chunks for them.  
Gama remains with Mega and Neu.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “…I think it’s time you two and I had a private talk. Follow me.”  
  
 _Neu and Mega pout and follow behind Gama as he takes them into the woods, where Shockwave and the other Sparklings couldn’t hear them.  
Gama kneels down beside his young and placed his hands onto their heads, petting them lovingly.  
  
_ Gama: (Lovingly) “…my two big boys…you’re both the future Leaders of the Decepticons…”  
Mega: (Whining) “Dad! Stop that!”  
  
 _Gama chuckles and stops petting his sons, sighing heavily.  
  
_ Gama: “You’re both Leader Classes, Alpha males, like I am…and like Sixshot was. Although he was a cannibal, and evidence even showed my ancestors were too, I do not want you both to carry that trend.”  
Mega: (Confused) “Huh?”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “He means Sixshot was the same as us, and if we eat him it’s like eating uhh…a relative?”  
  
 _Gama shrugs.  
  
_ Gama: “Sort of…eating fellow members of the same breed is called cannibalism.”  
Mega: (Confused) “Why would anyone want to do that?”  
Gama: (Slyly) “You wanted to do it a second ago, because you were hungry.”  
Mega: (Whining) “Then what about Pyro and the others? They’re being cannibal-thingies too!”  
Gama: “That’s where you’re wrong, Mega. Pyro, Rolo, Sparx and Clank are all Berserkers like your father.”  
 _  
Gama nods his head to his left, gesturing the Sparklings to look in that direction; when they look they see the remains of an Autobot Scout, the one Gama and Shockwave killed earlier.  
  
_ Gama: (Quietly) “Sixshot is off the menu, but that Autobot Scout isn’t.”  
Mega: (Disgusted) “Ugh…Autobots…”  
  
 _Gama nudges his young to the Autobot remains, kneeling over them to watch as they eyed the corpse with interest. Mega takes a quick sniff before pulling back in disgust, whilst Neu curiously takes a lick.  
  
_ Mega: (Disgusted) “It smells bad! I don’t like it!”  
Gama: (Smirking) “The smell does not matter; wait until you taste it.”  
Mega: “I still don’t like it!”  
Gama: (Chuckling) “How do you know that without trying it?”  
  
 _Mega mutters to himself and reluctantly licks a part of the Autobot, before pulling back in shock.  
  
_ Gama: “It’s nice, isn’t it?”  
  
 _Mega nods at Gama playfully before trying to take a bite, only to hurt one of his teeth.  
  
_ Mega: (Whining) “Owwww!! Daddy!!!”  
Gama: (Sighing) “You’re biting on a thick part of the chassis; try this part, it’s much thinner.”  
  
 _Gama rips off the remaining door-wing of the scout and drops it beside Mega and Neu; the pair eyes it carefully before looking to their parent, who rolls his eye and takes a bite of it himself._  
  
Gama: (Chewing) “See? Much easier.”  
  
 _Mega and Neu leap for the remains of the door and try to take bites, but they can’t get big enough chunks off to eat it. Gama rolls his eye again and bites off a chunk of the door, chewing it slightly, before spitting it out.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “There, try this.”  
Mega: (Disgusted) “Ewww…but it was in your mouth.”  
Gama: “I softened it up for you both; now try it.”  
  
 _Neu shrugs and begins easily eating the chewed up metal fragment, with mega becoming slightly jealous once he caught sight of Gama staring lovingly at Neu and not him.  
Mega rushes forwards and pulls Neu from the metal, roaring at him, before dragging it away and trying to eat it himself; Neu rushes after him and tries to snatch it back, with the two fighting over it until it was eventually torn in half by their fighting.  
Gama raises a brow in concern at the fight, but sighs with relief once it had ended and watched his young finish their first solid meal._  
  
Gama: “Are you both full now?”  
  
 _The pair nod._  
  
Gama: (Sighing) “Thank primus…you can finally not rely on me for the milk.”  
Mega: (Worried) “Does this mean we have to find our own metal and Energon now?”  
Gama: “No; I’ll still be giving you Energon, just not the milk; you can get your metals from eating kills me and your father make so the milk is no longer needed.”  
  
 _Neu clenches his fist and eyes the dead scout._  
  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “When will our teeth be as strong as yours?”  
Gama: “Hm? Why do you ask?”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “I want to be able to make kills like that, but I know my teeth aren’t strong enough yet.”  
Gama: (Stern) “You won’t be making any kills until you’re old enough to come out on hunting trips with me, which will be a few years away.”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “I want to do it now though.”  
Gama: “Neu, no; it’s bad enough your leg is broken from that attempt at ‘trying to help me’. I’m not having anything worse happen to you just because you want to hunt.”  
  
 _Neu pouts until bolting his attention to behind him once he heard Shockwaves voice.  
  
_ Shockwave: (VO) “Gama; they’re full. What do you want me to do with the rest of it?”  
  
 _Gama sighs heavily and ushers his two sons back into the clearing, where Shockwave was kneeling beside a very unrecognisable corpse of Sixshot.  
  
_ Gama: (Shocked) “…they ate a lot.”  
Shockwave: (Blushing) “Well, yes…Berserkers are renowned for their appetite.” _  
  
Gama looks to the nest to see the other four Sparklings quietly sleeping inside, being full from their first solid meal.  
  
_ Shockwave: “Gama; the rest of the body?”  
Gama: (Pondering) “…well…we can move it to where that Autobot Scout was, then the Autobots will have the proof they need that Sixshot is dead when they eventually track down the scout.”  
Shockwave: (Curious) “…why do you care about that?”  
 _  
Gama smirks.  
  
_ Gama: (Slyly) “I need them to feel secure; they will have likely killed or exiled Scorponok, and now Sixshot is dead I am the last Leader Class to deal with…and Rodimus Prime was more worried about me and Sixshot forming a truce to take him down. So…with Sixshot dead…Rodimus will focus entirely on me, and that will allow me to get him where I want him.”  
  
 _Gama flexes his fingers as he watches Neu and Mega climb into the nest, snuggling up to their siblings and preparing to sleep.  
   
_ Gama: “…and then, when I have him alone…”  
  
 _Gama approaches the remains of Sixshot, and slams a foot onto it; causing some of the inner framework to snap.  
  
_ Shockwave: “You’ll kill him.”  
Gama: (Nodding) “That’s right; the fun and games are over. Once I have him alone again, his throat will meet my fangs.”  
 _  
Gama cracks his knuckles.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “And then I can free our comrades, kill those who wronged us and lead our army to conquer Cybertron.” _  
  
Gama approaches the nest and lies over it, snuggling up close to his young to keep them warm and covered from the elements. Shockwave gathers up Sixshots remains and tosses them over his shoulder, preparing to carry it to where the Scout was located.  
  
_ Gama: “After the young have rested, we’re moving again. So you better get some sleep after you dispose of that body…”  
  
 _Shockwave nods and moves into the forest.  
  
_ Gama: (Calling) “And clean off all that Energon blood on your body! It smells awful!”  
  
 _Shockwave chuckles as he continues carrying the body into the forest, leaving Gama and his young to rest peacefully.  
  
_


	21. The Edge of Glory

 

 _The next morning the family moved on; heading as far west as possible until they could not walk any further, reaching the western coast of the USA to pass over the pacific to Asia.  
  
_ Rolo: “Now what mom…er…dad?” _  
  
Gama turns to his young and mate, rubbing his head tiredly.  
  
_ Gama: “Well we have reached the edge of the USA; to reach Asia you’ll all have to learn how to fly or....”  
  
_The Sparklings whine in protest, until Gama roars angrily at them to quieten the complaining.  
  
_ Gama: (Stern) “Or…I go and take care of our little Autobot problem, and then you all can go to your true home; Cybertron.”  
Neu: (In Decepticon) “…you really mean that? We can go to Cybertron?”  
Clank: (Excited) “Then we’ll be safe and there won’t be any fighting!”  
Gama: “Well…yes…”  
Pyro: (Annoyed) “Why can’t we go now? Why do you have to mess with Autobots?”  
Gama: (Muttering) “The Autobots control Cybertron…if I don’t deal with them, then we’d be in hiding again only we’d be closer to the danger.”  
Rolo: “I want to go to Cybertron! Will we be going soon dad?”  
Gama: (Pointing) “You can only go on two conditions.”  
  
_The young begin whining again, but quickly stop once they catch sight of Gama’s very serious looks.  
  
_ Gama: “Condition one; you stay here with your father until I deal with the Autobots.”  
Shockwave: (Annoyed) “Gama, no; I’m coming with you.”  
Gama: (Growling) “Be quiet.”  
  
_Shockwave mutters to himself as Gama returns his attention to his offspring.  
  
_ Gama: “Condition two; even when I return with the other Decepticons, you must not speak to any of them unless I or your father says you can and you must never wander off without one of us being with you.”  
Shockwave: (Curious) “Gama, why must we…”  
_  
Gama shoots a glare at Shockwave, who looks away in shame.  
  
_ Gama: “Until they are properly…trained…the others may still see them as a quick snack or form of baiting me into a trap. The young will always have one of us supervising them for safety.”  
Shockwave: (Quietly) “Oh, I see.”  
Gama: “Anymore questions?”  
  
_The young huddle close to Shockwave and shake their heads.  
  
_ Gama: (Nodding) “Very good. Now stay here with your father; do not wander too far from him, do as he commands without questioning him and most important of all do not trust anyone you do not know. I will be back before you know it.”  
Sparklings: (In Unison) “Alright father.”  
  
_Gama breathes a sigh of relief and claps his hands together, walking back towards the way they came; he passes by Shockwave, stopping for a moment to whisper something to him, before continuing back towards the East._  
_Meanwhile, at the Autobot main base, a gathering between both Titron and Autobot councils was being held; however, one member of the council was not there.  
Thundercracker.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “I don’t want to deliver my messages through you, Crasher. I want to speak to Thundercracker directly; in person.”  
Crasher: “That ain’t ever gonna happen.”  
Rodimus: (Pointing) “Need I remind you of the masses of evidence we have to condemn you as well as Thundercracker? You did after all have a hand inside the Black Market…”  
  
_Starscream slams a fist onto the table, catching everyone’s attention._  
_  
_ Starscream: (Angry) “Thundercracker clearly expressed his apologies for not being here over the communicator with you; his business is more important than this pathetic charge of deception!”  
Rodimus: (Yelling) “What could be more important than clearing his name, or accepting the charges?!”  
Crasher: “That’s none of your business, Rodimus.”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “Thundercracker is constantly sweeping his actions under the carpet; he’s not informed any members of the Autobot Council of his recent expeditions or research, and he’s even persuaded Perceptor to keep his mouth shut! Our own Scientist!”  
Solarflare: (Sighing) “You clearly have no idea what your own teams have been up to either then, right?”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “You stay out of this.”  
Starscream: (Yelling) “Don’t use that tone to Solarflare!”  
  
_Suddenly the room erupts into heated debate and childish name-calling, whereby Ultra Magnus is forced to use the gavel to bring everyone back down to quieter discussing again.  
  
_ Solarflare: “Just listen to what Crasher has to say, and then you can tell him what you need to tell Thundercracker.”  
  
_Rodimus mutters to himself and waves his hand, gesturing Crasher to speak.  
  
_ Crasher: (Quietly) “Thundercracker and Perceptor opened up those old mines in Cybertron for more reasons than just gathering raw Energon crystals to keep everyone running…hidden secrets to the Decepticon and Autobot lineage lie deep within the underground chasms outside of Iacon, and it was originally Perceptors idea to excavate the chasms.”  
Rodimus: “…go on.”  
Crasher: (Annoyed) “Of course, they only expected to excavate a few old rune walls or relics; but the deeper they dug, the larger the site became.”  
  
_Rodimus raises a brow, showing slight interest.  
  
_ Crasher: “They uncovered an ancient tomb, which from what they could see had no relics inside. Not even a body.”  
Rodimus: (Curious) “…was there anything indicating who the tomb belonged to?”  
Crasher: (Shrugging) “There was just a wall that had ancient writing written all over it, but nobody alive today could read it all. Thundercracker said the reason why nobody could read it was that the wall was written in a very specific Decepticon tongue.” _  
  
Rodimus leans further out of his seat.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “…let me guess…nobody can tell what tongue it was even written in.”  
Crasher: “…Thundercracker didn’t tell me anything about that.”  
Rodimus: (Sighing) “I see…that is…disappointing.”  
Starscream: (Coughing) “Actually, I can answer that question of yours.”  
  
_Everyone turns to face Starscream.  
  
_ Starscream: “I’ve visited the excavation site many times, being a scientist myself…and one of my key fields of study was studying the various Decepticon Languages.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Get on with it.”  
Starscream: (Muttering) “I’m making sure you don’t question how I know what I know…asshole.”  
Rodimus: “Just get on with it.”  
  
_Starscream mutters to himself as he raids his storage compartments, pulling out a sheet of folded paper. He slowly unfolds the paper to reveal hastily scribbled symbols, with some only partially drawn.  
  
_ Starscream: “This is an artist copy of the walls writing; some of the symbols are damaged and would be difficult to read even to the natives who wrote it.”  
Rodimus: (Humming) “I see.”  
Starscream: (Pointing) “At first glance, I had no idea what variation of Decepticon this was…until I saw this symbol.”  
  
_Starscream points to a specific symbol that resembled claw marks.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Curious) “Predacons, perhaps?”  
Solarflare: “No…the dating on the wall predates the era that Predacons learnt how to speak or write.”  
Rodimus: (Quietly) “Then the Terracons and Insecticons are ruled out of this too.”  
Starscream: “Ruling out those three, I was left with only one other type of Decepticon…the Berserker.”  
  
_Quiet discussing slowly begins in the background.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Wait a minute…back up a second…so you’re suggesting a Berserker wrote what was on this wall?”  
Starscream: (Annoyed) “I am not suggesting; I know it was a Berserker.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “That means Shockwave is the only one who can read this wall.”  
  
_Everyone in the room quietly nods and expresses their approval.  
  
 _ Starscream: “He could read this, all of it…but from what I was able to translate, I would rather not allow him anywhere near that tomb.”  
Rodimus: (Curious) “Oh? And why is that?”  
Starscream: “Ruum’thra doss thre’mm kloviss’da.” _  
  
The room falls deathly quiet.  
  
_ Starscream: (Stern) “That roughly translated into ‘ultimate power within these walls’.”  
  
_The room enters heated debate and once again Ultra Magnus has to quieten the noise._  
  
Starscream: “We don’t know if it means the one who was buried was the ultimate power of that era, or if a weapon was sealed away somewhere inside of it instead.”  
Crasher: (Pointing) “Since we didn’t find a body inside, we don’t know if it even was a tomb…we just call it that.”  
  
_Rodimus stands up from his seat.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Stern) “Has anyone thought of knocking the wall down to see what was behind it?”  
Starscream: “Well…yes…but---”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “But what?”  
Thundercracker: (VO) “I forbid it.”  
  
_Everyone bolts their attention to the entrance to the conference hall, finding Thundercracker and Perceptor entering with a tightly sealed crate.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Coldly) “And now you bother to show your face…finally come to admit to your crimes?”  
Thundercracker: “No. This discovery is more important.”  
Starscream: (Shocked) “You mean…you found something?”  
  
_Thundercracker gestures Perceptor to set the crate onto the table; the crate weighs so much that the table creaks and strains from the weight. Rodimus sits back down in his chair and eyes the crate, and Thundercracker, with caution.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “We had the wall cut away and removed from the tomb, keeping it intact for future research, and behind it we found the remains of over twenty ancient Berserkers.”  
Rodimus: (Disgusted) “So you crammed the remains into a box to show me? That’s just…foul.”  
Thundercracker: “I had the remains removed and sent to the labs for dissection and analysis…there is no corpse inside this box.”  
  
_Rodimus raises his brow in interest, but flashes an unimpressed expression to Thundercracker.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Nodding) “Perceptor, open the box.” _  
  
Perceptor nods and begins opening the large crate, releasing the binds so that the outside framework could unfold; a mass of dust floods into the air as the outside frames slammed onto the table, causing those closest by the box to cough and cover their eyes.  
Once the dust settled and everyone could see the boxes location again, they only saw a single object lying within the middle of the table; a hammer.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Laughing) “What’s this rusted hunk of junk?”  
Thundercracker: (Slyly) “Of course…I’d never expect an Autobot to know who this belonged to.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “What was that?”  
  
_Thundercracker clicks his fingers, gesturing Perceptor to hand Rodimus something.  
Perceptor hands Rodimus a very worn out and dusty book.  
  
_ Perceptor: (Nervous) “Be careful with it, Rodimus Prime…it’s the last surviving organic book we have on the Berserker.”  
  
_Rodimus mutters to himself and carefully flicks through the pages, reading over the pages quickly with little interest.  
Once he had finished looking through it, Rodimus handed the book back to Perceptor and glared at Thundercracker, who was still standing nearby looking very proud of himself.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “That told me nothing.”  
Thundercracker: (Smirking) “If you noticed, several pages were missing.”  
Rodimus: “And I should care, why?”  
  
_Thundercracker opens up his holo-screens and begins searching through his research.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “The successor to the Decepticon throne, after the second ruler died, removed all traces of his predecessor. We were baffled over why a book about Berserkers had so many pages missing…and we found the missing pages behind the wall along with that hammer.”  
  
_Thundercracker utters an ‘ah ha!’ before feeding his data into the conference tables holo-projector, allowing everyone to see the file he had found.  
The image projected displayed a picture of a Decepticon, along with information about the Decepticon.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Calling) “Anybody noticed what is wrong with this identification?”  
_  
Starscream, Crasher and a few other ex-Decepticons raise their hands.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Muttering) “Oh please…how childish is this going to get…”  
_  
Thundercracker nods to Starscream.  
  
_ Starscream: (Smug) “The picture is of a Berserker, yet the identification lists them as the Leader of the Decepticons. A Berserker has never led the Decepticons, they have never been capable of doing so.”  
Thundercracker: (Teasing) “No!”  
_  
The Decepticons eyes widen in disbelief, whilst the Autobots remain baffled (with the exception of Perceptor).  
  
_ Thundercracker: “This Berserker was the second Leader of the Decepticons…but what was wrong, was that it says he has no known relations. The truth is that Bone-Breaker---”  
Astrotrain: (Shocked) “B-Bone Breaker the---THAT Bone-Breaker?!”  
Rodimus: “…what?”  
Thundercracker: (Nodding) “Yes Astrotrain…Bone-Breaker the Brutal, the Decepticon Leader who butchered three quarters of his OWN troops in the worst massacre the Decepticons have ever experienced in history. This hammer was his, and it wields immense power.”  
_  
Rodimus narrows his eyes into a suspecting glare.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Annoyed) “And this is important…why?”  
  
_Thundercracker smirks and gestures Perceptor to hand him something.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Bone-Breaker’s hammer can be used like an ordinary hammer by others…but in the hands of a Berserker, it is more dangerous…especially in the hands of, a very specific Berserker…making it capable of levelling entire cities.”  
Rodimus: (Curious) “…specific Berserker?”  
Thundercracker: (Chuckling) “Namely; Bone-Breakers own bloodline.”  
  
_Perceptor hands Thundercracker a vial and a booklet.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Mocking) “Pfft…Shockwaves the only Berserker left, and if you’re suggesting he’s this ‘Bone-Breaker’s descendant, then you’re a bigger fool than I imagined.”  
Starscream: (Nodding) “For once, I agree with the Autobot. Bone-Breaker was a maniac bent on destroying all living things, and Shockwave has not even been in any way---”  
Thundercracker: “RNA testing has confirmed a relation.”  
  
_The room falls deathly quiet again.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Slyly) “The sample in this vial was made from scrapings of Energon-blood found on the hammer, and compared with the RNA we obtained from several of Shockwaves daughters.”  
Acidstorm: “…did you think of getting a fresh RNA sample from Shockwave himself?”  
Thundercracker: “No, why?”  
Acidstorm: (Nervous) “…that percentage of similarity could have been from the OTHER parent…Gamatron.”  
  
_Thundercracker blinks in disbelief.  
  
_ Astrotrain: (Shocked) “Fuck! If Gamatron is the descendant of Bone-Breaker then we’re all going to get it!”  
Thundercracker: “But…Gamatron is a pure-bred Leader Class…there’s no Berserker in his RNA at all.”  
Acidstorm: (Pointing) “But you’re forgetting one thing; a Berserker and a Leader Class are nearly identical in RNA with three exceptions. Solarflare, if you would.”  
Solarflare: “Single optic, clawed hands and feet, minimal to no Leadership skills.”  
Acidstorm: (Stern) “And, research has shown that Berserkers have rapid growth spurts equal to that of a Leader Class. Until you get a fresh sample of RNA from both parents, you will have to keep that…that…thing…locked away.”  
  
_Thundercracker whispers to Perceptor, who boxes up the hammer and begins taking it away.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Now that as a waste of time…”  
Thundercracker: (Stern) “No it wasn’t…if Shockwave was Bone-Breakers descendant…we need…we need…”  
Rodimus: “…you need?”  
Perceptor: “Thundercracker wants to be certain before such an order is made.”  
Rodimus: (Curious) “What order?”  
Thundercracker: “…Shockwave will need to be killed.”  
  
_Rodimus folds his arms and leans back in his seat.  
  
_ Rodimus: “…so?”  
Thundercracker: (Quietly) “…how can you just say ‘so’? He’s done us no harm.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “Um, excuse me…but he’s killed more scouts than I can even count with my fingers! And if he’s no threat, why do you want to issue this order? Explain that!”  
Thundercracker: “…Bone-Breaker was driven mad by something…we don’t know what, but if it runs in his family we need to exercise extreme caution…otherwise it will be far more than just Autobot Scouts getting killed.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “…so don’t tell me you meddling with Sixshot, the Black Market and Gamatron are all connected to this nonsense.”  
  
_Thundercracker folds his arms and looks away.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “…I needed help from those who could get hold of information on Bone-Breaker…and Sixshot knew more about him than I’d like to know.”  
Rodimus: (Chuckling) “Did anybody mention to you that Sixshots body was found recently?”  
  
_Thundercrackers eyes widen in a shock._  
  
Rodimus: “He’d been savaged and a majority of him was eaten beyond recognition. An RNA test confirmed it was him though, but we could not identify the adult bite marks.”  
Thundercracker: (Shocked) “you mean there were infant bite marks on the body too?”  
_  
Rodimus nods.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Smirking) “It seemed whichever of the parents killed him, also ate him with the offspring.”  
Thundercracker: “…Gamatron.”  
Acidstorm: (Pointing) “AGAIN you assume the Leader Class is purely cannibalistic!”  
Thundercracker: (Growling) “Who else could it have been; softy Shockwave?!”  
_  
Acidstorm and Thundercracker growl at one another, before Ultra Magnus ends the noise with a hammering of his gavel.  
  
_ Rodimus: “Now…the Black Market?”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “We needed more Intel on Bone-Breaker’s history, since a lot of it was erased from the records. I heard some humanoids in the Black Market had the Intel we were looking for.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “And Gamatron?”  
Thundercracker: “He was close, very close, to our prime target; Shockwave. The closer we got to Gamatron, the closer we got to Shockwave.”  
  
_Rodimus gets out of his seat and wanders over to Thundercracker, growling deeply.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Coldly) “I’m sick of your LIES, Thundercracker.”  
Thundercracker: “It’s true though…all of this mess relates to the Hammer of Bone-Breaker.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “You don’t use a shark as bait to catch a herring, Thundercracker.”  
_  
Thundercracker tries to hide a nervous sweat as Rodimus began to get too close for comfort.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Concerned) “…Rodimus, perhaps we shouldn’t---”  
  
_Rodimus turns around and snarls at Ultra Magnus, shocking the Autobots, before he returned to Thundercracker.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Whispering) “I know that you’ve been working with Gamatron and Shockwave this whole time…trying to keep them hidden from me, let them train to kill me…”  
Thundercracker: “Oh please, Rodimus…you’re being paranoid---”  
Rodimus: (Shouting) “Do NOT call me paranoid!”  
  
_The Autobots quietly, and nervously, begins whispering to one another.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Stern) “Rodimus; I did protect Gamatron and Shockwave…I did protect their whereabouts…all for one purpose; their Sparklings.”  
Rodimus: (Hissing) “You scheming son of a---”  
Thundercracker: “Nowhere did I mention anything of assisting them, or allowing them to be hidden to train. I kept them hidden to keep them safe, so their young could be safe.”  
Rodimus: (Laughing) “Keep their young safe from what? They’re just Sparklings…they’re not threatening anyone!”  
  
_Thundercracker growls deeply and pushes Rodimus away from him.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Listen to yourself! You still don’t get it?!”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “I know what’s going on here! You’re conspiring against me! Against the Autobots! Against the very peace treaty you signed!”  
Thundercracker: (Growling) “I’m protecting Leader Class offspring from being murdered by a fellow Leader Class; YOU.”  
Rodimus: (Shouting) “Not more of this infanticide shit! It’s all Decepticon traits! It does not exist within MY bloodline!”  
Thundercracker: “It exists in every one of us, but it is far worse in YOUR breed! I’m doing not only those infants a favour keeping them safe; I am doing you a favour by keeping you from the nightmares of infanticide! The mental torture!”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “I never asked for your help, and I never will. Now you are to stand down as Titron Leader immediately and surrender, because I am placing you under arrest for treason!”  
  
_Thundercracker roars angrily at Rodimus and tackles him into the table, struggling to remain on top of the fight because of Rodimus’ more powerful body.  
Everybody stands from their seats and watches Rodimus and Thundercracker fighting hand to hand, but nobody dares step in to break it up, even the Autobots who heard their Leader’s pleas for assistance.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Calling) “Stop standing around and get him off me!”  
Ultra Magnus: (Stern) “…Rodimus, you need to focus and do it yourself.”  
Rodimus: (Angry) “Are you betraying me too, Ultra Magnus?! My own uncle?!”  
Ultra Magnus: “What Thundercracker has said is true; you have become paranoid…dealing with this issue of the Hammer of Bone-Breaker is more serious than Gamatron’s family problems.”  
Rodimus: (Shouting) “Treason!! I’m not paranoid!! I am not---” _  
  
Suddenly there is a loud explosion, causing everyone to stumble and bolt their attention around them and their surroundings.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “…who was watching the Decepticon prisoners?”  
Ultra Magnus: (Bluntly) “…oh no.”  
_  
The hordes of Autobots and Titrons rush out of the conference hall into a cloud of smoke and fire, and begin rushing to  cover the instant they realised the prisoners had escaped, and become armed.  
Decepticons shoot warning shots as they begin swarming towards the exit, rushing through the smoke for cover as the Autobots and Titrons decided to advance forwards to pursue them.  
Thundercracker and the others stop moving forwards once the smoke became too thick to see through, and moved back to regroup and formulate a plan.  
  
_ Springer: (Annoyed) “Perfect…just perfect! We go into a meeting, as usual, only this time one of the bastards got out and freed the rest!”  
Thundercracker: “Alright…let’s not lose our cool here; they may be armed, but there are more of us compared to them.”  
  
_The group turn their direction of interest from Thundercracker and Springer to the smoke, as Ultra Magnus returns from his venture in the smoke to find out how the fires started; he is holding a broken locking mechanism in his hand, and has minor injuries to his body._  
  
Thundercracker: (Nodding) “Do you know which cell was broken open?”  
Ultra Magnus: (Coughing) “*Cough* It was *cough* Cyclonus…the other cells *cough* where unlocked.”  
Thundercracker: “Was it broken from the inside or---”  
Ultra Magnus: (Interrupting) “---it was broken *cough* from the outside, with a blunt object…*cough* likely a fist.”  
  
_Thundercracker rubs his chin and looks around the group, catching sight of Rodimus prime looking angrily into the cloud of smoke and fire.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Concerned) “Rodimus prime; ease your tension…so far they’ve not begun firing on us.”  
Rodimus: (Annoyed) “I don’t care about if they’ve not fired on us or not…I want to know who’s betrayed us by breaking the Decepticons out.”  
Thundercracker: “For all we know, Rodimus; Gamatron may have seen a window of opportunity and took it to release his comrades. It was the security teams error by not maintaining watch over the prisoners.”  
  
_Rodimus growls and turns away, muttering to himself.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Rodimus…Gamatron came to free his allies…he did not come to provoke any acts of war.”  
Rodimus: (Coldly) “…what do you call this mess then? Burning the Autobot base?”  
Thundercracker: “I call it camouflage for a safe and undetectable escape.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “Well I call it a camouflage for ambush attacks.”  
Ultra Magnus: (Worried) “Rodimus…”  
Rodimus: “This attack was an act of war…so if its war Gamatron wants, it’s war he will have.”  
  
_Thundercracker steps towards Rodimus, only to stop once Rodimus fired a warning shot at his feet._  
  
Rodimus: (Stern) “I’m going to find him and kill him, Thundercracker. Nobody can stop me from doing it, not even you.”  
Thundercracker: (Angry) “Rodimus; if you go out there on your own---”  
Rodimus: “You’ll do NOTHING. You know I’m right…you know Gamatron is going to destroy us all if he’s left alive…so I’m going to kill him, and end it all…then you’ll have to put up with me and the charges made against you, and I know that you keeping Gamatron alive for as long as possible is delaying that day where I have you exiled for treason!”  
  
_Thundercracker remains silent and looks away.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Growling) “I’m right, aren’t I?”  
  
_Thundercracker doesn’t answer.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Yelling) “Aren’t I?!”  
  
_Thundercracker mutters to himself and shakes his head at Rodimus in shame.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “You don’t understand, Rodimus.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “What?!”  
Thundercracker: “Gamatron wants you to run after him. If he attacks you on Autobot grounds, it is an act of war. If you chase after him into neutral territory, however, it is not. He is trying to bait you into neutral grounds so that, be it his death or your own, it will not be an act of war.”  
Rodimus: (Muttering) “…lies.”  
Thundercracker: “Gamatron is not like Megatron; he dislikes the thoughts of war, and would never want to start a new one…he just feels secure putting up that tough attitude to impress others and inspire them.”  
Rodimus: (Shouting) “It’s all LIES!! I’ll PROVE IT!”  
Thundercracker & Ultra Magnus: “Rodimus, no!!” _  
  
Rodimus pushes past the hordes of his troops against Thundercracker and Ultra Magnus’ pleas for him to stop; he rushes through smoke, hearing no gunshots or Decepticon activity of any kind, into the open air of outside…to find masses of Decepticons had been waiting for him.  
A ring of armed Decepticons had the entire entrance/exit to the base covered, and had their weapons ready for fire, but Rodimus was not going down without a fight…  
Rodimus pulls out his gun and prepares to shoot down the ring of Decepticons…  
  
_ Gama: (VO) “Hold fire and step aside.”  
  
_Rodimus growls deeply as the ring of Decepticons lower their weapons, with some stepping aside for Gama to pass through before they could close the ring again.  
Gama brushes off dust from his arms and hands, eyeing Rodimus carefully.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Growling) “Gamatron…”  
Gama: (Smug) “Rodimus Prime.”  
  
_Gama gestures to Rodimus weapon._  
  
Gama: “Going on a little hunting trip, are you?”  
Rodimus: (Quietly) “It’s not a hunt if the prey approaches the hunter.”  
  
_Gama releases a quiet chuckle and begins circling Rodimus, who follows Leader Class customs and refuses to move._  
  
Rodimus: (Cautiously) “…Thundercracker told you we would be in that meeting, didn’t he?”  
Gama: (Slyly) “No; I haven’t spoken to him for several weeks.”  
Rodimus: (Frantic) “T-then you tapped into our communications and---”  
Gama: (Calmly) “When will you learn, Rodimus Prime…that I do not use insiders or communication tapping to find you…that whenever we meet, it is me taking a moment of opportunity or vice versa.” _  
  
Rodimus cocks his gun and aims for Gama once he stops circling him, who was still unarmed.  
  
_ Gama: “No fistfight? I’m disappointed.”  
Rodimus: (Insulted) “You’re so primitive…expecting everyone to have no weapons and to take you on fist-to-fist! Where’s the Cybertronian in you?! Grab a damn weapon like your troops and fight like a real Leader!”  
  
_Gama cracks his neck and knuckles.  
  
_ Gama: (Smirking) “Oh Rodimus…my whole body is a weapon…unlike YOURS.”  
  
_Gama roars and charges for Rodimus, kicking dust into his face before he could fire a shot at him.  
Rodimus hisses and tries to clear the sand from his eyes, feeling Gama’s pounding footsteps in the earth beneath him and using them as a guide to guess where he was and where he would be moving to.  
Rodimus dodges an oncoming tackle from Gama, only to feel his throat being grasped firmly by one of Gama’s very powerful hands; Gama uses his momentum to slam Rodimus into the ground, still grasping his throat.  
Gama releases Rodimus and kicks more dust at his body, circling him cautiously.  
  
_ Gama: “…get up, Rodimus.”  
  
_Rodimus doesn’t get up, and remains panting on the floor still trying to clear his eyes of the dust.  
Gama growls and bares his teeth, before spitting onto one of Rodimus’ legs in hope of gaining his attention; but all he gets is a pathetic growl from the Leader.  
  
_ Gama: (Annoyed) “Oh please…put some effort into this.”  
Rodimus: (Whining) “No. You cheated by kicking dust into my optics.”  
Gama: (Laughing) “And you cheated by bringing a gun to a fist-fight.”  
  
_Rodimus mutters under his breath, before gasping in pain as Gama planted one of his feet onto his chest, and began applying force.  
  
_ Gama: “I’m not killing you until everyone else can see…I want to remind them…of who the real Alpha male is here.”  
Rodimus: (Growling) “You won’t kill me, you don’t have what it takes; little Fembot.”  
Gama: (Snarling) “Big mistake!”  
  
_Gama lifts his foot and stomps it back down onto Rodimus’ chest repeatedly, hearing a component within the chest snapping after a few stomps, which causes Rodimus to scream.  
Rodimus fights his urges to resume his cries of pain as he felt Gama’s breath against his neck, as the Decepticon leaned in closer to whisper to him.  
  
_ Gama: (Whispering) “Over the generations…our ancestors killed each other with firearms, like cowards…”  
  
_Gama pulls back and drags a finger teasingly across Rodimus’ throat, before releasing him and allowing him to recover._  
  
Gama: (Smug) “You’ll be the first in eras to die like a natural Leader Class; hand to hand, tooth and brute strength…”  
Rodimus: (In Pain) “N-no I won’t…you cheated…so I’ll do the same…and…that will end in a stalemate.”  
Gama: “You think that I’ll allow a stalemate? I’ll keep at it until I get my jaws around your throat, and rip it open.”  
_  
Gama grasps onto Rodimus chest and forces him from the ground, yanking his gun from his hands and tossing it to one of his Decepticon allies.  
Now both of them were unarmed.  
  
_ Gama: (Nodding) “Now clear your optics and put up those fists.” _  
_  
_Rodimus clears his eyes and raises his fists, breathing heavily as he locked his sights on Gama and his single eye.  
Rodimus starts the pre-battle by slowly stepping sideways, keeping his sights on Gama, with said Decepticon mimicking the display; the pair circling around an invisible target, watching one another with their fists up.  
The pair begins to sweat nervously and breathe heavily as the circling in silence continued to drag on, with neither of them showing any signs of attacking soon; the silent circling dragged on for so long that the smoke was eventually cleared, and the fires put out, allowing the Autobots and Titrons to rush outside to witness the fight.  
The Decepticons in the ring raised their weapons and took aim for the Autobots and Titrons, warning them not to get involved in this fight, granting the two combatants the chance to finally stop circling.  
Gama catches sight of the spectators and looks back to Rodimus, smirking.  
  
_ Gama: (Slyly) “…one shall stand.”  
_  
Gama releases a bellowing roar, before charging forwards at Rodimus; the Autobot was prepared for the charge, and greeted Gama with a charge of his own.  
That was when both alphas began punching one another and throwing each other around, trying to pin the opposition to the floor for the killing blow to be made, but the two fought on equal grounds.  
Rodimus eventually utilizes an opportunity to gain momentum in the fight, and tackles Gama onto the ground, ensuring he could not get back up again by using his weight to pin him down more effectively.  
Rodimus grasps onto Gama’s throat and pauses.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Growling) “Any last words…Gamatron?” _  
  
Gama hisses at Rodimus and squirms, pushing his body upright and forcing the Autobot from his body. The moment Rodimus fell back onto his rear, Gama took advantage of the position to leap onto him; however, he was not expecting a brutal retaliation from his opposition.  
Rodimus managed to land a firm punch to Gama’s jaw, which released a very loud cracking sound, startling everyone including Rodimus himself.  
Gama stumbles back, grasping his jaw as Rodimus got to his feet.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Panting) “Not going to be able to land one of those powerful bites now, eh Gamatron?” _  
  
Gama pants and snaps his jaw back into place, only for one of his fangs to drop out of his lower jaw. Rodimus eyes the fang and then Gama, noticing he wasn’t that disturbed by what had just happened.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Smug) “Not going to cry about losing a tooth?”  
Gama: (Quietly) “A new, much stronger, fang will grow in its place. I don’t need to worry.”  
  
_Gama recovers and begins circling Rodimus again, with Rodimus choosing to turn to match Gama’s movements.  
Rodimus growls deeply as Gama begins cracking his knuckles; readying them for use.  
  
_ Gama: “Before I lost the fang, however, I was capable of killing you quickly with a single bite…but now it will be much slower, and more painful.”  
Rodimus: (Snorting) “Empty threats, Gamatron; that’s all you are.” _  
  
Gama releases a sharp roar and charges for Rodimus, with the two grasping onto one another in a balanced struggle of power.  
Rodimus struggled to shake Gama from him, whilst Gama tried with all his might to keep himself as close as possible to Rodimus.  
The spectators on both sides had lowered their weapons in awe to watch the fight with full concentration, leaving Rodimus feeling nervous as to if any of his Autobots would rescue him should the fight not turn in his favour.  
Gama, on the other hand, was positive that he would win the battle and was not showing signs of becoming nervous about losing anytime soon; his confidence grew with each inch he’d pressure Rodimus into.  
And then, at long last, the climax of the fight was closer than ever; Gama had pinned Rodimus to the ground in front of his troops and his enemy’s highest-ranked soldiers. All that had to be done now was landing the killing blow, and then the next phase of his plan could start.  
Gama flexed his jaws before baring them down, aimed for Rodimus’ throat; the Autobot Alpha slapped a hand against Gama’s face, trying with all his might to stop his jaws getting any closer to his neck, but Gama was on top and had the advantage.  
Rodimus thought for a brief moment to retaliate in a similar fashion, by launching an attack for Gama’s exposed throat, but he was in such a vulnerable position that if he weakened his defensive grip for even a split second Gama would have his fangs plunged into his neck, ready to rip out his throat.  
Gama growls and intensifies his neck and back components to get as close as possible to Rodimus’ neck, but couldn’t get close enough to even nip the surface of it with his teeth; Rodimus arms were struggling to keep Gama’s powerful desire at bay, but he was perfectly capable of keeping it up.  
It was at this moment that Gama realised a use for another of his Leader Class abilities, one that would seriously weaken Rodimus defences; his trademark Leader Class roar.  
Gama sucked in a heave of air and forced his head back, before throwing it forwards to release his roar at full boom in close proximity to Rodimus’ face; the noise had its desired effects on not only all those around the fight, but also his key target.  
Rodimus arms weakened in a temporary blip of paralysis from the shock of the roar, and before he could recover and react to what happened, Gama had sunk his fangs into his neck and began the process of crushing his windpipe.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Gasping) “G-Gamatron…s-stop…”  
  
_Gama growled deeply and ensured Rodimus was effectively pinned to the ground, whilst maintaining his bite on his catch.  
Rodimus shifted his eyes to look at his Autobot comrades, who seemed to both be in shock from the fight and also unsure of what to do; Rodimus had been slipping from being an angry young Leader into a paranoid wreck, suspecting everyone including his own kin of treachery.  
He refused help, he refused treatment. He was not going to ask for assistance in anything, until it was literally his life being crushed in the jaws of his enemy.  
  
_ Rodimus: (Weakly) “H-help *gasp* me!”  
  
_Ultra Magnus steps forwards, but drops his weapon once he got close enough to the combatants; Gama’s missing fang really was making Rodimus death slow and painful, but he didn’t have enough power in his arms to make a kill any other way without using a weapon.  
And he wanted to make the kill with a natural part of his body, not with a tool.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Cautiously) “G-Gamatron…let him go…”  
  
_Gama growls deeply and begins shaking his head, with Rodimus throat still gripped in his jaws; the movement of Gama’s head caused the fangs to sink in deeper, eventually penetrating an Energon vein-tube and causing Rodimus to begin slowly losing Energon.  
Rodimus gasps for air as Gama’s fangs finally reached his windpipe, and the amount of ventilation Rodimus was able to get began to become less and less the longer Gama held the bite.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Shouting) “Enough, Gamatron!!”  
  
_Ultra Magnus moves forwards and grasps onto Gama’s back, only for his hand to be impaled on one of Gama’s quickly erected spines.  
Gama realised now that he had to make the kill quicker than he wanted to, since Rodimus troops were starting to snap out of their fear-struck paralysis and awe-induced trances.  
Rodimus released another weak gasp for help, until Gama slammed one of his hands against Rodimus’ chest and quickly yanked his head back, still biting his victims throat; the sounds of a loud snap is heard, followed by both attacker and victim panting from exhaustion.  
Gama fell back onto his rear and grasping onto the right side of his mouth, whilst Rodimus remained lying on the floor, unable to move, but still perfectly alive.  
Ultra Magnus, still with his injured hand, moves to Rodimus side and begins inspecting the damage.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Quietly) “…spinal column is severed…you need surgery. Now.” _  
  
Rodimus weakly gasps a reply, allowing Magnus to look towards Gama next; he was still covering the right side of his jaw, trembling in shock.  
That was when Magnus looked at Rodimus’ injury again, and saw that another of Gama’s teeth had broken off and was stuck inside of the young Prime’s neck.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Bitter) “Are you going to risk losing your other two fangs, Gamatron? Are you willing to let yourself starve over this situation?” _  
  
Gama growls deeply and gets to his feet.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: “I thought not.”  
  
_Gama uncovers his mouth and looks at his hand, seeing feint smudges of blood on it. He licks the inside of his mouth and tastes that the blood he had in his mouth was now Rodimus Primes; it was his own.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “I may not have killed him…but all the research you did reverse-engineering my components…are gone.”  
  
_Ultra Magnus and the crowd of non-Decepticons erupt into sounds of protest.  
  
_ Gama: “I came to free my brethren…to destroy the weapons and new chassis alloys you were manufacturing.”  
Ultra Magnus: (Stern) “And Rodimus?”  
Gama: (Coldly) “Is lucky…I wasn’t expecting him to be so weak with paranoia. If he wasn’t in this condition, I wouldn’t have been able to cripple him; I wouldn’t have been able to kill him later when he was even MORE vulnerable.”  
Thundercracker: “But the research…it was for everyone’s benefit…”  
Gama: (Shouting) “I will NOT be replicated!” _  
  
Gama roars angrily, stepping away from the fight scene to be protected by his Decepticon allies. The Autobots and Titrons ready their weapons, whilst the Decepticons maintain aiming with their own.  
  
_ Gama: (Growling) “All I wanted was to take charge of my own group for protection…to raise my young in peace…”  
  
_Gama slowly steps back even further, with his troops slowly following him with their weapons still aimed at the Autobots and Titrons.  
Magnus remains beside the weak and badly damaged Rodimus.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: “You will never return to Cybertron to raise your family, Gamatron.”  
Gama: (Coldly) “…we shall soon see about that, Ultra Magnus.” _  
  
Gama releases a final roar before rushing from the scene with his troops, leaving Ultra Magnus and the others with the injured Rodimus Prime….  
  
The scene opens from darkness onto the Autobot base, before zooming inside where Rodimus prime is lying on a repair table with Ratchet, Wheeljack and Perceptor working alongside Acidstorm to fix Rodimus.  
Ultra Magnus and Thundercracker are standing nearby, watching impatiently, until the arrival of many worried Autobot troops disturbed them.  
  
_ Arcee: (Worried) “Ultra Magnus…is Rodimus…?”  
Ultra Magnus: (Concerned) “…that fang of Gamatron’s was lodged in deeper than we thought…if we’re not careful in removing it, it could kill him.”  
Arcee: (Shocked) “Oh, poor Rodimus!!”  
Springer: (Annoyed) “And all that research reverse-engineering Gamatron…totally wasted…burnt to a cinder. How are we going to be able to combat Gamatron when we don’t have any known weapons that can kill him for good?”  
  
_Thundercracker mutters to himself and reaches into his storage compartment and takes out the second fang they recovered from the aftermath of Gamatron’s fight._  
  
Thundercracker: “Not all of the research is gone. He left one of these behind.” _  
  
The Autobots look baffled at the fang in Thundercrackers hand.  
  
_ Springer: (Muttering) “I don’t see how this will help.”  
Thundercracker: “A Leader Classes teeth are the second strongest in all known Cybertronian life. Gamatron only lost these two because they were still his Sparkling teeth, and I am sure he will remove the rest he has once he catches on to it. Once his adult fangs grow into place his bites will be far more lethal, more so than the bites he made with these slightly weaker teeth.”  
Springer: (Annoyed) “And?”  
Thundercracker: “You really don’t see the use in reverse -engineering his fangs?”  
  
_Springer shakes his head and looks to Ultra Magnus.  
  
_ Springer: “You don’t either, do you Ultra Magnus?”  
  
_Ultra Magnus rubs his chin and eyes the fang in Thundercrackers hand.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Pondering) “…I believe I do see its use.”  
Springer: (Confused) “What?! But…it’s just a baby-tooth!!”  
Ultra Magnus: “Thundercracker said this was just a slightly weaker variation of Gamatron’s teeth. If we can learn the shape and amount of force they can withstand, it will allow us to work on protective plating that will not only prevent him landing a lethal bite into your original chassis, but also will increase the chances of him breaking his teeth.”  
Thundercracker: (Nodding) “That’s right…once h starts to realise he can’t kill us by biting anymore he will be forced to try other methods that he is not as experienced in.”  
Springer: (Awed) “….oh, I see.”  
Thundercracker: “One tooth isn’t enough for the research since at some point we will need to try an experiment with one of the real fangs; we need to get that second fang out of Rodimus’ neck.”  
_  
Thundercracker places the fang into a special container and puts it away, before following Ultra Magnus into the repair bay to see how the medics were doing.  
Inside they found the second fang covered in blood, lying in a Petri-dish, yet the medics were all still working on Rodimus’ body.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: “Ratchet; Status report.”  
  
_Ratchet turns from working and nods to Ultra Magnus, most of his chassis covered in Rodimus’ blood. Thundercracker and Magnus cringe at the sight.  
  
_ Ratchet: (Worried) “…we got the fang out as you can see, but it ruptured Rodimus’ central Energon tubing and caused him to bleed life-threatening amounts of Energon.”  
Ultra Magnus: (Concerned) “Is he stable now?”  
Ratchet: “Uhm…well we managed to seal up the wound to stop further damage and to prevent the bleeding…but this means we cannot repair the damage done to Rodimus’ spinal column.”  
Ultra Magnus: (Shocked) “N-no…”  
Ratchet: (Sadly) “He’s paralysed from the neck down…forever until we can safely repair the column…” _  
  
There is an eerie silence in the room as the other medics finally finish off the cleaning process, granting Magnus and Thundercracker room to get close to speak to Rodimus.  
Magnus kneels down beside the repair table and places a hand onto Rodimus’ shoulder; Rodimus appears to still be in sedation.  
  
_ Ratchet: “He’ll wake up soon…so we’ll leave you both to breaking him the news…” _  
  
Thundercracker turns and nods to Ratchet, as Magnus was too busy wallowing in pity to hear Ratchets request. All the medics leave the room.  
  
_ Ultra Magnus: (Sighing) “When Optimus learns about this…Primus…”  
Thundercracker: “Hm? Optimus Prime?”  
Ultra Magnus: (Quietly) “Yes.”  
Thundercracker: (Chuckling) “I thought he was dead? How can he learn what happened here if he’s a corpse?”  
  
_Magnus turns to glare at Thundercracker, who raises his arms in apology once he realised what he just said.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Uhhh…that was the Decepticon in me, I’m sorry.”  
Ultra Magnus: (Annoyed) “Watch your tone more carefully in the future then; if you speak that way to Optimus he’ll---”  
Thundercracker: (Annoyed) “---don’t tell me Crasher has been working on reviving Optimus Prime for you.”  
  
_Magnus nods a reply, causing Thundercracker to cover his face and groan in defeat.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Muttering) “That kid won’t leave the dead alone.”  
Ultra Magnus: “Once Optimus is back he will want an explanation to a few things, and with how fast Crasher is working I think you should start working on those explanations.”  
Thundercracker: (Pointing) “I have nothing to explain; Rodimus has a lot to answer for to him, not me.”  
Ultra Magnus: “I was talking about the findings on Bone-Breaker’s Hammer; Optimus won’t care about how you got the information, he will just want to make use of the information.”  
Thundercracker: “Oh…”  
Ultra Magnus: (Nodding) “So gather your research equipment, your findings and conclusions, and make sure they are ready for a full debriefing. Rodimus may not like you enough to listen to your research, but I and Optimus Prime will.”  
  
_Thundercracker nods and gathers up the Petri-dish with the bloodied fang in it, before putting it in a second special container and preparing to leave.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (Quietly) “Out of curiosity…why was nobody informed about this revival?”  
Ultra Magnus: “We wanted to surprise Rodimus AND Gamatron, for both defensive reasons and educational reasons.”  
Thundercracker: (Curious) “Educational?”  
Ultra Magnus: (Stern) “Rodimus was starting to lose his cool, and was beginning to misuse his power as Autobot Leader. Optimus would have reminded his son of the responsibilities that come with the authority he has inherited, but with Rodimus’ current state it looks like he won’t be our Leader anymore until he is repaired.”  
_  
Thundercracker hums to himself and nods down to Rodimus, who was still unconscious.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “How do you think he’ll take it?”  
Ultra Magnus: (Shrugging) “Who knows…I think he’ll be more upset about the paralysis than not longer being Leader anymore.”  
  
_Thundercracker dusts himself off and nods to Magnus again.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Anyway…I’ll get to work on that report right away for you.”  
Ultra Magnus: (Nodding) “Good, the sooner we have it ready for Optimus, the better.”  
  
_Thundercracker turns to leave but clicks his fingers uttering an ‘aha!’ before turning back.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “I nearly forgot to mention; we may be able to make powerful plating to defend ourselves from Gamatron’s fangs, but we need samples from Shockwave too because his fangs are the strongest of the two breeds…and his claws can cause more damage than his fangs ever could.”  
Ultra Magnus: (Curious) “Oh? And how do you plan on obtaining samples from him? He’s not likely going to just give you any.”  
Thundercracker: “That is your job now, Ultra Magnus. My research team and I will be working on the new protective armour against Gamatron’s bites; it is up to your team to get us more samples to make even better armour.”  
  
_Ultra Magnus blinks, unable to think of something to answer back with in protest or approval.  
  
_ Thundercracker: “Now that’s everything. I’ll see you and Optimus Prime soon then, right?”  
Ultra Magnus: (Awed) “…yes…soon.”  
Thundercracker: “Excellent. Just come by the Titron base when you’re ready; my research and report will be finished by the time you both arrive. Later, Magnus.”  
_  
The scene fades out to black as Thundercracker leaves Ultra Magnus behind, and remains dark.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “After that day, things really started to kick off for everyone; Rodimus remained in a shock-induced silence that lasted several days once he found out he was paralysed.”  
  
_The scene fades in on a still of Optimus prime being built by Crasher and scientists, before shifting to a still image of Optimus awake and surrounded by his comrades.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “Optimus was revived and reinstated as Autobot Leader; given a very long explanation of what had happened in the many years he was dead, along with a briefing of the current issues at present.”  
  
_The image fades to that of Thundercracker discussing his finding with Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “I explained the findings we made on Decepticon Breeds, on Gamatron’s offspring situation and the most important topic of all; Bone-Breakers Hammer.”  
  
_The image fades in of a close-up of the hammer.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “…but do you want to know something I was not able to show them at that meeting? The hammer itself. It was stolen two days before the meeting took place, with no evidence to identify the culprits. The theft of the Hammer has put both factions on High Alert, and the Humans have all been advised to avoid contact with Cybertronians until it is recovered.”  
  
_Image fades into a still of a Cybertronian newspaper; showing Gama, Shockwave and his young had been spotted on Cybertron.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “Gama had taken the risks of relocating to Cybertron, but only small glimpses of him and his family had been seen since…”  
_  
The image fades in on a map of an area of Cybertron, with an area marked out in red.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “…an area of Cybertron became overrun by Decepticons, and the residents were forced to evacuate; now, we have a tribe of Decepticons in a vast territory, which are blocking our eyes and camera’s from seeing Gamatron and his family.”  
  
_The map changes to still images of the Decepticon Tribe.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “So far the tribe has remained within its territory, and with no sign of the missing Hammer within the territory our major concern right now is who else could have took the hammer and why? Then, it hit me.” _  
  
The scene fades to black.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “Who knew about our operations? Who knew the value of the Hammer? Who had easy access to it?”  
  
_The scene fades in on a picture of Alpha and Beta.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “The twins; Alpha and Beta. Those two knew about our excavation since they were supplying tools to us. They knew the value of the hammer because we went to them for information about it, and they learnt how much we wanted to protect it. And they knew everyone on the security team, and even the security devices since they gave them to us. It was either a very well thought up heist or they fully realised how much they could earn by selling the hammer in the last few days.”  
  
_Scene fades in on an image of the Autobots and Titrons raiding Alpha and Beta’s old place, only to find they are not there anymore.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “They got away and went into hiding…so now it’s our job to find them and get that hammer back.”  
  
_Scene fades in on Eclipse/Lunacus examining the rune wall they found in the tomb.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “I put Eclipse in charge of researching the Hammer and its origins, and observing the activities of the Decepticon Tribe on Cybertron.”  
  
_The scene fades in on Thundercracker in real-time, loading a rifle with his troops nearby.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “The tribe of Decepticons are problematic off-Cybertron…we have to be prepared for attacks at any moment…but here we are; searching for two slippery thieves, looking for a hammer that can destroy entire cities, whilst having to put up with Autobots giving us orders and Decepticons wanting to rip out our Sparks for dinner.”  
  
_There is an explosion and Thundercracker hides behind cover, firing from behind his hiding spot at an unknown target.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “Each day we lose Titrons; they either want to go back to being Autobots so they can hide behind their walls or they want to return to being Decepticons, but the new era of Decepticons. Free to do as they please providing the ‘alpha’ sees no danger, and free to go wherever they want…again, as long as the alpha approves.”  
  
_There is another explosion, causing Thundercracker to duck down behind his hiding spot.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “So the future right now is looking grim for the Titrons; our numbers are dwindling, but the Decepticons are starting to swell back to their original state. We just have to hope and pray that the Hammer of Bone-Breaker the Brutal never reaches Decepticon hands…and especially Shockwaves or Gamatron’s.” _  
  
The scene fades out to black.  
  
_ Thundercracker: (VO) “We pray…we pray…we pray…” _  
  
_


End file.
